Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has denied a Freedom of Information (FoI) request demanding specific details of asset declarations submitted to it by incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, and former presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Umaru Yar’Adua, Olusegun Obasanjo, among others.
CCB said: “Asset declaration form is private information of these successive presidents and state governors, arguing that “producing such information would amount to an invasion of privacy of presidents and state governors.”
CCB’s statement followed FoI request by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) CCB Chairman, Muhammed Isah, urging him to “provide information on asset declarations by successive presidents and state governors between 1999 and 2019, including details of declarations made immediately after taking offices and thereafter, and for those who have left public offices, at the end of their term of office.”
SERAP also sought “information on the number of asset declarations so far verified by the CCB and the number of those declarations found to be false and deemed to be in breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, by the Bureau.”
But, Isah, in a response to SERAP, said: “Paragraph 3(c) of the 3rd Schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) empowers the Bureau to retain custody of asset declaration and make them available for inspection by any citizen on such terms and conditions to be prescribed by the National Assembly. These terms and conditions are yet to be prescribed.”
According to him, “Assuming the Freedom of Information Act is the term and condition, Sections 12(1)(v) and 14(1)(b) of the Act makes information in the asset declaration form private and producing such information would be an invasion of privacy of presidents and governors. Section 14(2)(3) of the same Act stipulate conditions for granting requests for private information but these have not been met by SERAP’s application.”
The letter with reference number: CCB/HQ/LU/047/59, signed on behalf of CCB Chairman by Musa Ibrahim Usman, read in part:
“Section 12(1)(a)(4)(a)(b) exempt production of information relating to investigation for the purposes of law enforcement and such investigation must have been carried out pursuant to an Act or regulation. Verification is investigation carried out pursuant to Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act for the purposes of law enforcement.
“Referring breaches of the Code of Conduct for public officers to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution is a matter of discretion of the Bureau and not a matter of FoI.
“Consequently, I am further directed to convey to you that the request in SERAP’s application for information on details of asset declarations by presidents and state governors since the return of democracy in 1999 is hereby denied on the grounds that it falls short of the requirement of the law. Please accept the assurances of the highest esteem of the Chairman CCB.”
Not done yet. SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, has vowed to challenge the CCB’s decision in a competent court of law.
“Freedom of information is a fundamental right. The contents of asset declarations by successive presidents and state governors do not amount to private information, as presidents and governors are public officers under Part II, Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution.
“Declarations of assets are constitutional commitments imposed only on public officers, and made by virtue of occupying entrusted public positions and offices. Therefore, details provided in any such asset declaration forms are public information, and not private information.”
“We’re going to court to challenge the decision by the CCB denying our FoI request, and refusing to provide details of asset declarations by presidents and state governors since the return of democracy in 1999. Make no mistake: The CCB’s refusal to disclose these details is a breach of settled constitutional and international principles, plain and simple,” Oluwadare said.