PDP dares Buhari, Osinbajo to make their assets public

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo to publicly declare their assets to prove that they are leading the country by example.

The party made the challenge in a statement by Diran Odeyemi, its deputy national publicity secretary, on Friday.

He said Buhari and Osinbajo should prove to Nigerians that they are not corrupt before they continue to go after corrupt public officials.

The main opposition party also asked Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, to make public their assets in other to convince Nigerians that they are partners in the fight against corruption.

“We are of the opinion that President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, President of the Senate Ahmed Lawan and Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila should declare openly their assets to allow Nigerians to further see how much wealth they have acquired since joining government,” the statement read.

“We believe laying claim to sainthood is easy as Buhari and others have been doing all along, but Nigerians deserve to see beyond whatever government forces down their throats. By making a public declaration of their assets, Nigerians will be able to see better and judge accordingly.

“By making public their assets, Nigerians will see how many herds of cattle in 2019 had been added to what Buhari had 2015. Blowing hot and cold at the same time is not the hallmark of a leader with clean hands.

“We urge Buhari and other top government officials to be more coordinated and exhibit transparency not only in fighting graft but in their dealings with Nigerians.”

Odeyemi called on high-ranking political office holders to waive the caveat placed on the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and make the assets of Buhari and Osinbajo known to Nigerians.

The CCB had earlier responded to a freedom of information (FoI) request by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), seeking a disclosure of assets declaration submitted by successive presidents and governors from 1999 till date.

The bureau said it could not disclose the assets on the grounds of invasion of privacy.