I will declare my assets publicly –Buhari

I will declare my assets publicly –Buhari

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), said he wouldpublicly declare his assets and liabilities, if voted into power.

Buhari stated this in a document obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on
Thursday. The document highlights what Buhari will do in his first 100 days if he
assumes power on May 29.

He said he would encourage political appointees in his administration to also
declare their assets publicly.

If the APC candidate keeps to his promise, he will be the second Nigeria’s
President to publicly declare his assets.

The late President, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, also from Katsina State as Buhari, was
the first and the only Nigeria’s President to have publicly declared his assets
when he assumed office.
This action forced his then deputy, who is now the President Goodluck Jonathan,
to also make his assets declaration forms available to the public.
However, since he assumed office as the substantive President, Jonathan has
refused to make the forms available to the public, saying that he did that when he
was serving as deputy to Yar’Adua.
Asked during a media chat whether he would consider declaring his assets
publicity, the President refused, saying he did not give a damn.
But Buhari, in the document titled, “I pledge to Nigeria” also said that all his
political appointees would only earn salaries and allowances as prescribed by the
Revenue and Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission.
He said, “I pledge to publicly declare my assets and liabilities, encourage all my
appointees to publicity declare their assets and liabilities as a pre-condition for
appointment.
“All political appointees will only earn the salaries and allowances determined by
the RMFAC.”
While pledging to personally lead the war against corruption in the country, Buhari
also said that he would inaugurate the National Council on Procurement as
stipulated in the Procurement Act.
He added that the Federal Executive Council, which he said had been turned to a
weekly session of contract bazaar, would be made to concentrate on its principal
function of policy making.
He said that he would also work with the National Assembly towards the
immediate enactment of a Whistle Blower Act.
On the other ways to strengthen the anti-graft war, he said, “We will work with
the National Assembly to strengthen the Independent Corruption Practices and
other related Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission by guaranteeing institutional autonomy, including financial and
prosecutorial independence and security of tenure of officials.
“We will also make the Financial Intelligence Unit of the EFCC autonomous and
operational; encourage proactive disclosure of information by government
institutions in the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act.”
He also promised that his government would work with the leadership of the
National Assembly and the judiciary to cut down the cost of governance.
On insurgency and insecurity in the country, the former head of state said that he
had had the rare privilege of serving the country in the military in various
capacities and rose to the rank of a major general and Commander -in -Chief of
the Armed Forces, he would defend the integrity of the nation.
“I pledge, as Commander-in-Chief, to lead from the front and not behind in the
comfort and security of Aso Rock, to boost the morale of fighting forces and the
generality of all Nigerians,” he said.
On the fate of the kidnapped Chibok girls, Buhari said that as a father, he had
been feeling the pain of the victims of insurgency, kidnapping and violence
whether “they are widows and orphans of the military, paramilitary, civilians and
parents or the Chibok girls.
“My government shall act decisively on any actionable intelligence to # BringBack Our Girls.”