OPINION: Buhari's Asset Declaration is Fraudulently Vague

OPINION: Buhari's Asset Declaration is Fraudulently Vague

By Barrister Kayode Ajulo

The alleged asset declaration by President Mohammadu Buhari and his Vice Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as presented by his media aide is apparently fraudulent not only to hoodwink Nigerians but to further use same to cover serial violations of their covenant with Nigerians. For clarity, integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Asset declaration must be done in prescribed form with particulars to ensure clarity and certainty, what is declared is vague, in bad faith and totally unacceptable.

Particulars and full description of the asset has to be given for proper identification and verification.

It is also incomplete as the spouses of the two politicians did not declare theirs with their husbands, it is the law that where any spouse of the declarant is not a civil servant/public servant such spouse should make the declaration with the better half.

Buhari team should go one step further by making their assets truly public with sincerity of purpose; and it is pretty much simple.

Late President Umaru Yaradua once publicly declared his asset in prescribed form and same was published to the satisfaction of all. President Buhari and company should take a cue from the late President.

Doing this, President Buhari  would at least have fulfilled one of his campaign promises in a most decent and honest manner.

Nigerians want to trust their leaders, the trust must be earned, they should have nothing to hide and I have nothing personal against them save that we should ensure that our word is our bond and giving no room for second-guessing.

When it comes to transparency, President Buhari should not be ordinary; these are extraordinary times in Nigeria.

The very first job of a leader is to inspire trust. Trust is the single most essential element to our ability to deliver extraordinary results in an enduring way. Trust is integral to building high-performance, good and excellent governance because it enables a nation to work as it should; it’s the first defense against dysfunction and the first step towards delivering better outcomes.

As we endeavor to improve on our leadership qualities, we are inspired by the thought leadership of others who also revere building trust as a critical mission.

God bless Nigeria.

-Olukayode A. AJULO