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X-raying Buhari’s ministers-to-be September 12, 2015 : Fisayo Falodi 71 Comments

 

   

 

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari

Some stakeholders in this piece by FISAYO FALODI highlight qualities President Muhammadu Buhari should consider before appointing his ministers this month

Scheming, lobbying and maneuvering for preference by politicians are some of the activities that are likely to dominate the polity this month as President Muhammadu Buhari is set to appoint members of his executive council as he has earlier promised.

Buhari, who many believed would name the cabinet members shortly after he was inaugurated in the second quarter of the year as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, took expectant politicians and technocrats by surprise when he postponed the appointment till this month.

Explaining the reason for the delay, the President was quoted to have said in an article published on Washington Post that he decided to put off the appointment to enable him to make the right choice(s).

He justified his action by making reference to the United States President, Barack Obama, who did not have his full cabinet several months after he took the oath of office.

Buhari was quoted in the article as saying, “In Nigeria’s case, it would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of sound government to have made these appointments immediately on my elevation to the presidency; instead, Nigeria must first put new rules of conduct and good governance in place.

“I was elected on a platform of change. I know this is what the people of Nigeria desire more than anything else. I know they are impatient for action. I realise the world waits to see evidence that my administration will be different from all those that came before. Yet reforming my country after so many years of abuse cannot be achieved overnight.

“In our campaigns against both Boko Haram and corruption, we should remain steadfast and remember, as it is said, ‘Have patience. All things become difficult before they become easy.’”

Also addressing journalists at the recent African Union summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Buhari attributed the delay to the late submission of the transition committee’s report on the previous administration to him.

The President had said that he was being careful to avoid making mistakes while appointing individuals to key positions such as in the ministries of finance and petroleum resources.

Buhari had said, “I was waiting for this report because I would like to know what position in the government especially in terms of finance and petroleum industry. So, I am not in a hurry to get ministers.

“I want to get ministers after at least I have seen the report because I don’t have to appoint a minister today and sack him the next week because this report would give me what actually happened in terms of security, economy of the country.”

The President’s explanation subsequently became a subject of controversy among some Nigerians. While many people welcomed the idea, critics described it as a demonstration of lack of preparedness for governance.

The critics also flayed the President for dissolving the boards of federal agencies when he had yet to appoint cabinet members for the smooth running of government.

According to them, Buhari’s action shows that he lacks a clear-cut plan for delivering dividends of democracy to the people.

But the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and the founder of Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare, defended the President’s action. While Oyegun said the delay was deliberate and cautious, Bakare said the President should be given enough time to think right.

Oyegun, who spoke against the backdrop of growing public concern over the slow pace of the APC-led government under Buhari, noted that the APC came with different manifesto and would need individuals that were passionate and understood what is required to be done.

Similarly, Bakare, who spoke during an interview at The Glory Christian Ministries recently, emphasised the President’s earlier claim he did not get the handover report until May 28, adding that the President’s committee did not have anything to work with.

As if he had studied the mood of Nigerians, Buhari during a joint press conference earlier in the week with Ghanaian President, John Mahama, gave the assurance that he was committed to his plan to form his cabinet before September 30.

The President said Nigerians and the international community were at liberty to query him if he failed to announce his ministers by the of September.

As Buhari sets to name the cabinet members, however, some stakeholders have asked the President to justify the delay in appointing trusted, patriotic and competent individuals with innovative ideas for change.

The stakeholders said such potential ministers should be able to hit the ground running after their confirmation by the National Assembly.

They urged the President to thoroughly subject the would-be ministers to discreet investigation to enable him to have information about their past before giving them national assignments.

The human rights community, represented by a lawyer, Mr. Femi Aborisade, asked Buhari to look out for people who had shown demonstrable conviction that, primarily, the philosophy of governance should be about using public resources for the improvement of the material wellbeing of the downtrodden.

According to him, Buhari’s cabinet should be peopled by those who have a track record of credibility, integrity and strength of character.

The activist said, “The next federal executive council should consist of people who enjoy positive public perception of not being corrupt or people who are not known or perceived to be corrupt.

“The President should bring on board people who have a track record of demonstrable concerns for public good, those who are known to have made sacrifices and spared some thought for public good and who have not merely made a mark only in their individual private businesses.

“The next ministers should be persons who are willing to serve the public without earning salaries or persons who are prepared to serve by earning salaries not more than 12 times the statutory national minimum wage, plus reimbursement of any incidentals such as transportation and/or accommodation when they travel or embark on public functions.

“Such persons should be knowledgeable in the practical functions or objectives of the ministry where they are to be chief executive officers. In this regard, professionals in each ministry and/or credible unionists working in given ministries, should be subject to popular election by their peers and recall once they fall short of public expectations.”

Above all, Aborisade asked Buhari to set up a standard that should be used to measure the performance of the ministers and other political office holders.

“The President should operate from the standpoint that once a minister or an adviser falls short of the standard or principles, such official should be made to resign or sacked outright,” he said.

An anti-corruption campaign group said Buhari’s government would achieve the desired result if he worked with persons with courage to resist temptation to dip hands in public funds.

The Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said for Nigerians to enjoy realistic good governance in the next four years, Buhari should form a cabinet dominated by honest and unbiased persons.

Adeniran expected the President to have used the last three months to look for candidates with track record of achievements in previous positions.

“A cabinet position should not be for green horns and not for persons with national problems waiting to be surmounted,” he said, adding, “Ministers should be transparent in their duties and open-minded.

“They should be discretely assessed to find out if they understand economic issues which are absolutely essential to taking policy decisions that will lead to the well being of the citizens.

“They should possess the ability to form and lead an effective team of capable people, that is, ability to choose right people, making each member of the team work as a group, provide enough freedom to each member to manage affairs under their charge and ensure that members remain honest.”

Candidates for ministerial positions, according to the anti-corruption group, should have a banner without stain. They should not be politicians and technocrats with suspected cases of abuse of office or misconduct.

Adeniran added that the would-be ministers should have genuine love and concern for people without which they could stray into directions that could incite catastrophic consequences.

“It may not be out of place to conduct interviews and administer competence tests on potential ministerial nominees,” he said.

He said in line with the President’s example, ministerial nominees should be willing to publicly declare their assets, which include those of their spouses, children, siblings and dependants as soon as their nominations were confirmed.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria recommended experts or professionals by training with experience relevant to the proposed portfolios.

MAN President, Dr. Frank Jacobs, is of the opinion that the potential ministers should not be corrupt and incorruptible persons.

Jacobs believes that Buhari will cover significant millage in terms of fulfilling his campaign promises if he constitutes an executive team of highly principled people who have personal conviction on actions taken and ready to defend such actions.

While noting that fame or attention seeking-persons might lose focus if appointed as ministers, the MAN president said, “They should have a non-political mindset and not unduly interested in recouping campaign expenses.

“Buhari should look for persons who are not self-seeking, but ready to serve the nation. They should be individuals with focus on specific, achievable and measurable goals.

“They also should not pay attention to being politically correct, but ethically so.”

Source: The Punch.

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Saraki, Dogara, Public Exposed Persons (PEPS) Should Publicly Declare Their Assets -CACOL

By admin   /   Tuesday, 08 Sep 2015 08:29PM
saraki_channelstvThe Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders has asserted that it is the turn of the number three citizen in the country, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara and all public exposed persons (PEPs) including governors, ministers and those who work directly with the President such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the President’s Chief of Staff should declare their assets and make it public to lead by example.

Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran reiterated the Coalition position that the declaration of assets is the non-prosecutorial way of fighting corruption.

“There cannot be accountability, transparency and probity if we do not have a baseline with which we can determine how to measure how much each public exposed person accumulated while in office. It is only through this process of assets declaration and verification that we would be able to determine if their hands are clean; otherwise, it could become business as usual as experienced in the past regimes.”

Speaking further, Adeniran stressed that the current anti-corruption drive of the All Progressives Congress-led government would not be complete unless those occupying public offices can prove that they have not illegally enriched themselves.

“Once the leader has taken up the gauntlet, the followers need not be persuaded to do the same if they have not done so”. CACOL expect every public exposed person (PEP) to publicly declare his assets including his spouses and even his children because they naturally are going to be beneficiaries of whatever their principal makes while in public office. This will enable Nigerians to compare and contrast their net-worth at the point of entering with that at the point of exit.

According to the news, Shehu Sani was reported to have picked the queue after the President and the VP; an action we believe has thrown a challenge of integrity at the likes of the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasiru El-Rufai, who is currently contending with allegations of corrupt accumulation of assets. He should come out in the open to let us know if he has as much as has been ascribed to him.

CACOL is also using this opportunity to ask the regime to amend the laws that set up the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to henceforth make public declaration of assets compelling as applicable. Unless it is made public, information contained in the forms submitted to the CCB may not be easily accessible to every member of the public wishing to verify its authenticity since not everybody has the resources to go to court to challenge the CCB if the latter refuses or fails to oblige.

He who cannot stand the heat should not go into the kitchen, if you don’t want to get wet, don’t jump into the water”. So once they have decided to serve in public office, they should ensure that everything about them, their spouses, their children, their sibling and other dependants are made totally open to all.

Democracy presupposes that public officers are employees of the people; their allegiance to their employers is not negotiable. It’s therefore incumbent upon them to give account of their stewardship to the same people that employed them and this includes, public declaration of what they had when coming in and what they have when going out”.

Source: Universal Reporters

 

Posted on

SARAKI, DOGARA, PUBLIC EXPOSED PERSONS (PEPs) SHOULD PUBLICLY DECLARE THEIR ASSETS -CACOL

 

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders has asserted that it is the turn of the number three citizen in the country, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara and all public exposed persons (PEPs) including governors, ministers and those who work directly with the President such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the President’s Chief of Staff should declare their assets and make it public to lead by example.

Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran reiterated the Coalition position that the declaration of assets is the non-prosecutorial way of fighting corruption.

“There cannot be accountability, transparency and probity if we do not have a baseline with which we can determine how to measure how much each public exposed person accumulated while in office. It is only through this process of assets declaration and verification that we would be able to determine if their hands are clean; otherwise, it could become business as usual as experienced in the past regimes.”

Speaking further, Adeniran stressed that the current anti-corruption drive of the All Progressives Congress-led government would not be complete unless those occupying public offices can prove that they have not illegally enriched themselves.

“Once the leader has taken up the gaunlet, the followers need not be persuaded to do the same if they have not done so”. CACOL expect every public exposed person (PEP) to publicly declare his assets including his spouses and even his children because they naturally are going to be beneficiaries of whatever their principal makes while in public office. This will enable Nigerians to compare and contrast their net-worth at the point of entering with that at the point of exit.

According to the news, Shehu Sani was reported to have picked the queue after the President and the VP; an action we believe has thrown a challenge of integrity at the likes of the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasiru El-Rufai, who is currently contending with allegations of corrupt accumulation of assets. He should come out in the open to let us know if he has as much as has been ascribed to him.

CACOL is also using this opportunity to ask the regime to amend the laws that set up the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to henceforth make public declaration of assets compelling as applicable. Unless it is made public, information contained in the forms submitted to the CCB may not be easily accessible to every member of the public wishing to verify its authenticity since not everybody has the resources to go to court to challenge the CCB if the latter refuses or fails to oblige.

He who cannot stand the heat should not go into the kitchen, if you don’t want to get wet, don’t jump into the water”. So once they have decided to serve in public office, they should ensure that everything about them, their spouses, their children, their sibling and other dependants are made totally open to all.

Democracy presupposes that public officers are employees of the people; their allegiance to their employers is not negotiable. It’s therefore incumbent upon them to give account of their stewardship to the same people that employed them and this includes, public declaration of what they had when coming in and what they have when going out”.

 

Temitope Macjob

Acting Media Officer, CACOL

temitope@thehumanitycenter.org

cacolc@yahoo.com

08029215000

9th September, 2015

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org

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CACOL condemns military brutality on innocent Lagosians


8 September 2015
1

 Sep 3, 2015 by –

Chairman Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, Debo Adeniran, has condemned the recent military brutality on innocent civilians in Lagos State.

Speaking on a radio programme, Adeniran called on the Military Authorities to urgently do something to stop incessant assaults.

According to him, Nigeria was currently under democratic civil rule, and as such the military should therefore obey civil rule.

He said it was mandatory for the military to respect the rights of every Nigerian and should not subject citizens to unjustified and uncessary punishment.

Adeniran said the whole idea was to suppress civilians and prevent them from military authority.

The Human rights activist urged Nigerians whose rights were being trampled upon by the military to report to the appropriate military authorities.

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Buhari’s 100 Days In Office; Unnecessary Contention- CACOL

 By admin / Saturday, 05 Sep 2015
 
 
 
 
 
The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has said that the issue of whether or not Buhari’s 100 days in office should be treated as a tradition for performance score-card, in its view, shouldn’t be a subject of contention at all. This came on the heels of a response to questions about a report on documents titled “One Hundred Things Buhari will do in 100 Days” and “My Covenant with Nigerians” which was contained in statement made available by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, that President Muhammadu Buhari did not promise Nigerians that he would achieve specific things within his first 100 days in office.
The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, speaking on behalf of the coalition stressed that “having read and listened to the spate of contentious positions taken by those we want to describe as pro and anti Buhari’s voices, we would want to ask President Buhari to remember the prevailing political atmosphere under which he was voted in by Nigerians, as the man competent and trusted to confront the country’s enormous, yet multi-faceted problems.
Electorates believed that he has the required courage and guts to perform and achieve the desired result, hence he should avoid, in every way possible, being eroded into adopting or formulating policies that could be seeing to be anti-people.” However, Nigerians voted for change and that simply means that they were dissatisfied with the ways the country was being run then and had yearned for a shift from the status quo. “That President Buhari has been in the saddle for 100 days is a fact; that certain promises were made either directly by him or by his party, the APC, during his electioneering campaign, is also a fact. Justifiably so, Nigerians reserve the moral right to demand that he delivers on those promises. Speaking further, Adeniran said “It therefore behoves who promised to either begin to deliver on the promises right-away or at least, begin to say something to these same people, about his mode of operation or measures through which he intends to address pressing issues. He could even open up with his blue-print on action plans on certain aspects of his programme. And if he believes that he has, within this relatively little time, put in place certain things, whether conclusively or in process, we do not see anything wrong in coming out to brandish his score-card for all to see”. The group further said, “Proactive effort is one thing, result is another; but whichever way it comes, would certainly be better than a disturbing silence that could only open the door for unnecessary bickering, presumptions and insinuations among contending interest groups. Granted that Buhari never hinged his pre-election promises on a specified time-frame, as the APC is trying to remind the people, the fact still remains that promises such as: Public declaration of assets; A free meal per day for school pupils; iii. N5, 000 monthly allowance for the unemployed; and so on, were made. “The party, APC was alive and active when those speaking for the party were making pronouncement on the now contentious issue of 100 days during electioneering campaigns, and neither was any disclaimer issued nor any counter-statement made by the party then, so, why now? APC cannot claim ignorance of the age-long tradition of 100-days-in-office assessment of performance of top political office holders; it’s been with us for quite a while now. The Coalition has been consistent in its position on some of these promises that President Buhari or the APC does not necessarily need to make it a political issue before acting on them. For instance; issues like that of public declaration of assets, could have just been done by Buhari and his vice without much ado as it would only translate into a clear evidence of seriousness and sincerity on their part, in their quest to fighting and eradicating corruption from our land. Whilst the group appreciates the recent public declaration of assets by the President and his vice, it should be acknowledged as a right step in the right direction as this will go a long way in strengthening the confidence that the Nigerian public has in them and further underscore the exemplary posture of the duo. This singular gesture which we wish would constitute a benchmark for successive regimes, we want to believe, would implicitly serve as a window-opener to series of ‘change’ that are to trail the life of this administration. However, we want to further call on President Buhari and his party not to relent at ensuring that every other aspect of their promises is fulfilled without much ado. The Coalition further advised that, “rather than making unnecessary issue out of the credibility of the source that spoke on behalf of the party, APC or Buhari should just go ahead to tell Nigerians what he’s been able to do so far. Well, for whatever it is worth, “we want to believe that for the past 100 days in office, President Buhari couldn’t have been idle, he certainly must have been doing some things; let him tell his people now”, Debo Adeniran inferred. Source: Universal Reporters.
Source: Universal Reporters.

 

Posted on

CACOL asks Saraki, Dogara to declare assets publicly

on September 7, 2015

 

 

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, has called on Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to declare their assets, same way President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo did last week.

CACOL Chairman, Debo Adeniran, told The Punch that the current anti-corruption drive of the All Progressives Congress-led government would not be complete unless those occupying public offices could prove that they had not illegally enriched themselves.

He said, “Specifically, the principal officers of the National Assembly must declare their assets starting from the Senate President. All ministers and those who will work directly with the President such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the President’s Chief of Staff must also declare their assets publicly.

“That is how we will know that they have clean hands. Otherwise, they will become conduit pipes through which money will be siphoned from the public purse. Without such declaration, nobody knows how much they might have made after leaving office.”

Adeniran added that the wives and children of public office holders must also be subjected to similar scrutiny.

He added, “It is now the norm that anyone that wants to serve in any position of leadership of the present administration to publicly declare his or her assets because already, we have doubts about how much these individuals have made over the years.

“We want to know how much they are worth and have a benchmark with which we would measure what they would declare at the end of their tenure. Their spouses, children and siblings should also declare their assets since they enjoy whatever must have been received by the public officials.”

Source: Daily Post.

Posted on

SARAKI, DOGARA, PUBLIC EXPOSED PERSONS (PEPs) SHOULD PUBLICLY DECLARE THEIR ASSETS -CACOL

 

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders says it is the turn of the number three citizen in the country, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President Senator Ekweremadu, the Speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara and all public exposed persons (PEPs) including governors, ministers and those who work directly with the President such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the President’s Chief of Staff should declare their assets and make it public to lead by example.

The declaration of assets is what we have described as non-prosecutorial way of fighting corruption; it is leading by example. There cannot be accountability, transparency and probity if we do not have a baseline with which we can determine how right or wrong the public officials have performed their duties while in office and how to measure their net-worth at the point of exit. “It is only through this process that we would be able to determine if their hands are clean; otherwise, they could easily become conduit pipes through which money will be siphoned from the public purse.

The current anti-corruption drive of the All Progressives Congress-led government would not be complete unless those occupying public offices can prove that they have not illegally enriched themselves. Once the leader has taken up the gullet, the followers need not be persuaded to do the same if they have not done so.

We expect every public exposed person (PEP) to publicly declare his assets including his spouses and even his children because they naturally are going to be beneficiaries of whatever their principal makes while in public office. This will enable Nigerians to compare and contrast their net-worth at the point of entering with that at the point of exit.

We see that Shehu Sani has taken the queue after the President and the VP; an action we believe has thrown a challenge of integrity at the likes of the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasiru El-Rufai, who is currently contending with allegations of corrupt accumulation of assets. He should come out in the open to let us know if he has as much as has been ascribed to him.

We are also using this opportunity to ask the regime to amend the laws that set up the CCB to henceforth make public declaration of assets compelling as applicable. Unless it is made public, information contained in the forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau may not be easily accessible to every member of the public wishing to verify its authenticity since not everybody has the resources to go to court to challenge the CCB if the latter refuses or fails to oblige.

“He who cannot stand the heat should not go into the kitchen, if you don’t want to get wet, don’t jump into the water”. So basically once they have decided to serve in public office, they should ensure that everything about them, their spouses, their children, their sibling and other dependants are made totally open to all so that we have a baseline with which we can measure their accumulations while their period in office lasts”.

Democracy presupposes that public officers are employees of the people; their allegiance to their employers is not negotiable. It’s therefore incumbent upon them to give account of their stewardship to the same people that employed them ad this include, public declaration of what they had when coming in and what they have when going out.

 

Temitope Macjob

Acting Media Officer, CACOL

temitope@thehumanitycenter.org

cacolc@yahoo.com

08029215000

8th September, 2015

 

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org

Posted on

BUHARI’S 100 DAYS IN OFFICE; UNNECESSARY CONTENTION- CACOL

 

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has said that the issue of whether or not Buhari’s 100 days in office should be treated as a tradition for performance score-card, in its view, shouldn’t be a subject of contention at all.

 

This came on the heels of a response to questions about a report on documents titled “One Hundred Things Buhari will do in 100 Days” and “My Covenant with Nigerians” which was contained in statement made available by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, that President Muhammadu Buhari did not promise Nigerians that he would achieve specific things within his first 100 days in office.

 

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, speaking on behalf of the coalition stressed that “having read and listened to the spate of contentious positions taken by those we want to describe as pro and anti Buhari’s voices, we would want to ask President Buhari to remember the prevailing political atmosphere under which he was voted in by Nigerians, as the man competent and trusted to confront the country’s enormous, yet multi-faceted problems. Electorates believed that he has the required courage and guts to perform and achieve the desired result, hence he should avoid, in every way possible, being eroded into adopting or formulating policies that could be seeing to be anti-people.”

 

However, Nigerians voted for change and that simply means that they were dissatisfied with the ways the country was being run then and had yearned for a shift from the status quo. “That President Buhari has been in the saddle for 100 days is a fact; that certain promises were made either directly by him or by his party, the APC, during his electioneering campaign, is also a fact. Justifiably so, Nigerians reserve the moral right to demand that he delivers on those promises.

 

Speaking further, Adeniran said “It therefore behoves who promised to either begin to deliver on the promises right-away or at least, begin to say something to these same people, about his mode of operation or measures through which he intends to address pressing issues. He could even open up with his blue-print on action plans on certain aspects of his programme. And if he believes that he has, within this relatively little time, put in place certain things, whether conclusively or in process, we do not see anything wrong in coming out to brandish his score-card for all to see”.

 

The group further said, “Proactive effort is one thing, result is another; but whichever way it comes, would certainly be better than a disturbing silence that could only open the door for unnecessary bickering, presumptions and insinuations among contending interest groups.

Granted that Buhari never hinged his pre-election promises on a specified time-frame, as the APC is trying to remind the people, the fact still remains that promises such as:

  1. Public declaration of assets;
  2. A free meal per day for school pupils;
  • N5, 000 monthly allowance for the unemployed; and so on, were made.

 

“The party, APC was alive and active when those speaking for the party were making pronouncement on the now contentious issue of 100 days during electioneering campaigns, and neither was any disclaimer issued nor any counter-statement made by the party then, so, why now? APC cannot claim ignorance of the age-long tradition of 100-days-in-office assessment of performance of top political office holders; it’s been with us for quite a while now.

 

The Coalition has been consistent in its position on some of these promises that President Buhari or the APC does not necessarily need to make it a political issue before acting on them. For instance; issues like that of public declaration of assets, could have just been done by Buhari and his vice without much ado as it would only translate into a clear evidence of seriousness and sincerity on their part, in their quest to fighting and eradicating corruption from our land.

 

Whilst the group appreciates the recent public declaration of assets by the President and his vice, it should be acknowledged as a right step in the right direction as this will go a long way in strengthening the confidence that the Nigerian public has in them and further underscore the exemplary posture of the duo. This singular gesture which we wish would constitute a benchmark for successive regimes, we want to believe, would implicitly serve as a window-opener to series of ‘change’ that are to trail the life of this administration. However, we want to further call on President Buhari and his party not to relent at ensuring that every other aspect of their promises is fulfilled without much ado.

 

The Coalition further advised that, “rather than making unnecessary issue out of the credibility of the source that spoke on behalf of the party, APC or Buhari should just go ahead to tell Nigerians what he’s been able to do so far. Well, for whatever it is worth, “we want to believe that for the past 100 days in office, President Buhari couldn’t have been idle, he certainly must have been doing some things; let him tell his people now”, Debo Adeniran inferred.

 

Temtiope Macjob

Acting Media Officer, CACOL

temitope@thehumanitycenter.org

cacolc@yahoo.com

08029215000

4th September, 2015

 

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org

Posted on

Be The Change You Preach Anti-Corruption Group Tells Buhari, Osinbanjo

By admin   /   Tuesday, 01 Sep 2015

Buhari-osThe Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has called on the President and Vice-president to continually lead by example if they truly desire to succeed in the anti-corruption war they espouse.

The Anti-corruption Coalition said this in its assessment of 90days of President Buhari in office especially in the areas of war against corruption and insurgency.

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, speaking un-behalf of the coalition asserted, “Looking at the activities of the Present President in the last 90 days we can say that the present president, Muhammadu Buhari has started well, when compared with those who had come before him especially from 1999, who didn’t do as much as it’s happening now.

Though the President has not really done anything on his own; it is his body language and the pronouncements he made with assurances that he was going to fight corrupt public officials hands down that has been working for him.

However, it is expected that the present regime would have achieved more within the past 90days, we still believe a lot can still happen within the next ten days that will make his first 100days in office, during which his covenant could be reviewed. We believed that he is going to make good, parts of the covenants he voluntarily entered with Nigerian people during his electioneering and shortly after before he was sworn-in”.

Talking about presidential assets declaration, the group said “we also believe that he is going to make declaration of his assets public because it is one of the non-prosecutorial ways of declaring preventive war against corruption and it is a way an anti-corruption leader should set the necessary example”.

“His promise was that he is going to make his assets declaration public and cause everybody that wanted to work with him to do the same. Up till now we are not sure that his assets declaration form is yet a public affair”.

According to the statement, the Coalition affirmed that, “we also know that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) doesn’t have the power to make asset declaration details public; it only the declarant that has the power to make it public; except when one requires and applies for it under the law that established the Code of Conduct Bureau. We therefore suggest that the law should be amended to make it possible for the Bureau to make assets declaration of public servants public. So if Buhari has not done that, he has done a little wrong thing”.

Speaking further, Adeniran said “that a number of public exposed persons who are now being prosecuted is not yet directly the President’s making; it is the suspended cases from the previous regime that are being brought to the fore-front and because there is a new criminal procedure for prosecution that makes it expedient for every lawyer to be weary of what applications he makes that will not be deemed to be frivolous or bid to waste the time of the court, that have made the court to expedite actions in adjudicating into matters that had to do with corruption”.

Also, the group further said, “that Buhari has said and make pronouncements that all former ministers and everybody that worked with the past regime will be subject of a holistic probe, is also a step in the right direction that has sent all the agencies that has to do with it on their toes to start doing preliminary activities that will lead to the eventual probe of those who participated in past regimes. A number of revelations coming to the fore are also part and parcel of the body language and pronouncements of the present President.

The Coalition also asserted that anti-corruption agencies believe that if the trend continues, it will go a long way in ensuring that corruption criminals don’t go scot free “saying, the body language of the present President alone have made most of those who perpetrate corruption to take heed; they don’t want to perpetrate corruption with impunity and “that is why a lot of people can now say public power supply is now relatively stable more stable, generators are now silent and not being over-used as before, refineries have started running one way or the other which means that there will be increase in supply of refined product for domestic use; a lot of work is also going on in other areas like exploration of solid minerals and activities of Federal Inland Revenue services; all the revenue agencies and corporations are now remitting what they make in quantum that is more than what it used to be.

“Basically, the personality of the president and the comportment of the vice president have shown that this regime is out for anti-corruption business and nobody is feeling as free as before to commit corruption crime.

The Coalition affirmed that they are still asking the government and the leadership of the government not to allow corrupt elements within their own political class to overwhelm them with corruptive tendencies because they would want to convince them that certain areas should be left un-touched and that should not be allowed. “The President, Vice-President and other members of their cabinet should demonstrate the change they preach”. Adeniran advised on behalf of CACOL.

“Government should ensure that members of the National Assembly are not allowed to get away with any criminal activities; whether they committed it before they get to the office or the commit it when they are in office.

On the possible frustration of government effort by the National Assembly, the group said, “Everybody that has corruption charges against them should be made to face the law earlier than other persons that are not in government.

Those who have been charged should go and answer to the charges of corruption against them, for those that are being investigated, due diligent and speedy investigation should be carried out before they are allowed to continue to make law for us otherwise, they will use powers within their ambit to frustrate the effort to get corrupt element in the society prosecuted. It is therefore imperative on government to use its power to ensure that the bad eggs within who had found their way into the National Assembly are wiped out”.

The group further advised Buhari’s government that “Everybody that want to work with the government should go to court to swear to affidavit for not have been an agent of corrupt element or for not have been accused of corruption crimes before; the same thing should apply to corporate organizations that want to take contracts from government, they should swear to affidavit that they have not encouraged corruption, money laundering, and allied crimes like financing of terrorism; they should give evidence that they haven’t engaged in shady deals earlier and anyone of them that is found wanting should be black-listed. There are several other integrity-conscious corporate bodies and firms to be engaged in execution of such programs and projects; this is the only way we can extrude corruption in our climes”. The statement concluded.

Source: Universal Reporters.

Posted on

BUHARI, OSINBANJO SHOULD BE THE CHANGE THEY PREACH- CACOL

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has called on the President and Vice-president to continually lead by example if they truly desire to succeed in the anti-corruption war they espouse.

The Anti-corruption Coalition said this in its assessment of 90days of President Buhari in office especially in the areas of war against corruption and insurgency.

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, speaking un-behalf of the coalition asserted, “Looking at the activities of the Present President in the last 90 days we can say that the present president, Muhammadu Buhari has started well, when compared with those who had come before him especially from 1999, who didn’t do as much as it’s happening now.

Though the President has not really done anything on his own; it is his body language and the pronouncements he made with assurances that he was going to fight corrupt public officials hands down that has been working for him.

However, it is expected that the present regime would have achieved more within the past 90days, we still believe a lot can still happen within the next ten days that will make his first 100days in office, during which his covenant could be reviewed. We believed that he is going to make good, parts of the covenants he voluntarily entered with Nigerian people during his electioneering and shortly after before he was sworn-in”.

Talking about presidential assets declaration, the group said “we also believe that he is going to make declaration of his assets public because it is one of the non-prosecutorial ways of declaring preventive war against corruption and it is a way an anti-corruption leader should set the necessary example”.

“His promise was that he is going to make his assets declaration public and cause everybody that wanted to work with him to do the same. Up till now we are not sure that his assets declaration form is yet a public affair”.

According to the statement, the Coalition affirmed that, “we also know that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) doesn’t have the power to make asset declaration details public; it only the declarant that has the power to make it public; except when one requires and applies for it under the law that established the Code of Conduct Bureau. We therefore suggest that the law should be amended to make it possible for the Bureau to make assets declaration of public servants public. So if Buhari has not done that, he has done a little wrong thing”.

Speaking further, Adeniran said “that a number of public exposed persons who are now being prosecuted is not yet directly the President’s making; it is the suspended cases from the previous regime that are being brought to the fore-front and because there is a new criminal procedure for prosecution that makes it expedient for every lawyer to be weary of what applications he makes that will not be deemed to be frivolous or bid to waste the time of the court, that have made the court to expedite actions in adjudicating into matters that had to do with corruption”.

Also, the group further said, “that Buhari has said and make pronouncements that all former ministers and everybody that worked with the past regime will be subject of a holistic probe, is also a step in the right direction that has sent all the agencies that has to do with it on their toes to start doing preliminary activities that will lead to the eventual probe of those who participated in past regimes. A number of revelations coming to the fore are also part and parcel of the body language and pronouncements of the present President.

The Coalition also asserted that anti-corruption agencies believe that if the trend continues, it will go a long way in ensuring that corruption criminals don’t go scot free “saying, the body language of the present President alone have made most of those who perpetrate corruption to take heed; they don’t want to perpetrate corruption with impunity and “that is why a lot of people can now say public power supply is now relatively stable more stable, generators are now silent and not being over-used as before, refineries have started running one way or the other which means that there will be increase in supply of refined product for domestic use; a lot of work is also going on in other areas like exploration of solid minerals and activities of Federal Inland Revenue services; all the revenue agencies and corporations are now remitting what they make in quantum that is more than what it used to be.

“Basically, the personality of the president and the comportment of the vice president have shown that this regime is out for anti-corruption business and nobody is feeling as free as before to commit corruption crime.

The Coalition affirmed that they are still asking the government and the leadership of the government not to allow corrupt elements within their own political class to overwhelm them with corruptive tendencies because they would want to convince them that certain areas should be left un-touched and that should not be allowed. “The President, Vice-President and other members of their cabinet should demonstrate the change they preach”. Adeniran advised on behalf of CACOL.

“Government should ensure that members of the National Assembly are not allowed to get away with any criminal activities; whether they committed it before they get to the office or the commit it when they are in office.

On the possible frustration of government effort by the National Assembly, the group said, “Everybody that has corruption charges against them should be made to face the law earlier than other persons that are not in government.

Those who have been charged should go and answer to the charges of corruption against them, for those that are being investigated, due diligent and speedy investigation should be carried out before they are allowed to continue to make law for us otherwise, they will use powers within their ambit to frustrate the effort to get corrupt element in the society prosecuted. It is therefore imperative on government to use its power to ensure that the bad eggs within who had found their way into the National Assembly are wiped out”.

The group further advised Buhari’s government that “Everybody that want to work with the government should go to court to swear to affidavit for not have been an agent of corrupt element or for not have been accused of corruption crimes before; the same thing should apply to corporate organizations that want to take contracts from government, they should swear to affidavit that they have not encouraged corruption, money laundering, and allied crimes like financing of terrorism; they should give evidence that they haven’t engaged in shady deals earlier and anyone of them that is found wanting should be black-listed. There are several other integrity-conscious corporate bodies and firms to be engaged in execution of such programs and projects; this is the only way we can extrude corruption in our climes”. The statement concluded.

 

Temitope Macjob

Acting Media officer, CACOL

temitope@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com

08029215000

1st September, 2015

 

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org