Asset declaration: Submit your forms before May 29, CCB tells Tinubu, others
The Code of Conduct Bureau has said the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima and 28 incoming governors must declare their assets before May 29.
Punch reports that other officials, including senators-elect and Reps-elect, are expected to declare their assets before June 5 when they would be sworn in.
According to the newspaper, the CCB spokesperson, Mrs Veronica Kato, said in Abuja that asset declaration was an integral part of the swearing-in ceremony, according to the law.
Telescope.ng gathered that she disclosed that several elected officials had started picking their assets declaration forms at the CCB state offices nationwide and that they were expected to submit the filled copies to the bureau before the inauguration day.
The outgoing officials, including presidential aides, 28 state governors and their cabinet members, National Assembly and state assembly members and local government chairmen will equally obtain the assets declaration forms from the CCB and submit the same in line with the 1999 constitution.
CCB warns officials
The CCB spokesperson warned that any defaulting officials would not be sworn in, stressing that assets declaration was part of the inauguration process.
“But one thing is sure; no public official will be sworn into office without filling their assets declaration form. That is what is contained in our law. Before the oath of office would be conferred on any elected public officials, they must submit their assets declaration forms. It is part of the requirements for the swearing-in ceremony.”
She further revealed that outgoing public officials had also begun to pick the assets declaration forms as part of the requirements for exiting the office.
Kato added, “The outgoing public officials have also started picking up their assets declaration forms. Many of them have started picking up the forms this week because officials are required to fill the forms and declare their assets both at the beginning and at the end of their tenure.”
In Ogun State, no fewer than 40 incoming public officials have reportedly obtained the assets declaration forms ahead of the May 29 swearing-in ceremony.
The officials were said to have obtained the forms from the Abeokuta office of the CCB.
An official of the CCB in the state, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, because he was not permitted to comment on the matter, disclosed this to our correspondent.
It was gathered that apart from the incoming officials, those who lost elections had also obtained the forms.
The source said the state governor, deputy governor, nine members of the House of Representatives, three Senators and 26 members of the state House of Assembly had obtained the assets declaration forms.
He said: “All of them have come to obtain the forms. Even, those who were not returned (to office) have also come to obtain the forms.”
On the deadline for submission, the source said, “Some have submitted; they must submit before May 29.”
On how the CCB verifies the assets declared by the affected officials, the source said the Bank Verification Numbers would expose their bank account details.