Niger asks outgoing political officeholders to declare assets before May 29

The Niger government has ordered all outgoing appointed and elected political officeholders to declare their assets before the end of their tenure.

In a statement on Thursday, Ahmed Matane, secretary to the state government, asked all political office holders to go to the state code of conduct bureau (CCB) to obtain the assets declaration forms.

The newly elected politicians are expected to take over on May 29.

Matane said the state CCB is committed to enforcing the powers bestowed on it under 3rd schedule part 1, paragraph 3 (e) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) on the need for all political officeholders to comply with the provision.

He said the outgoing officeholders should fill and return the end-of-tenure asset declaration form before May 29.

“Failure to do so may lead to prosecution at the code of conduct tribunal,” Matane said.

In January 2020, Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, asked President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to declare their current assets.

Also, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) demanded that the president, his vice and 36 governors and their deputies should publicly declare any updates on their asset declarations submitted to the code of conduct bureau.