Yesterday 15th
April 2016, one of the leading civil society groups in Nigeria, The New Nigeria
Group held a press conference in solidarity to the march against corruption,
access to justice and fair trials,
autonomy of the different arms of
government, accountability and transparency of public officials both serving
and past to add boost to the actions of another strong and passionately
motivated civil society group Save Nigeria Group, who launched an important
anti-corruption campaign that goes to the root of efforts to retake the country
from the grip of corruption in public governance.
The significance of the
current campaign by the New Nigeria group and the Save Nigeria Group lies in
the fact that unlike the current government effort it is neither discriminatory
nor is it selective.
Relying on the Freedom
of Information Act, the Groups are asking the Code of Conduct Bureau to release
the asset declaration forms of some serving and past elected and appointed
government officials many of whom Save Nigeria Group says it has received corruption
complaints against. Prominent on the list include many from whom Nigerians
would like to know their wealth and its sources. The list includes: Mallam El Rufia,
Theordore Orji, Samuel Ortom, Ali Modu Sherriff, Abudulahi Adamu Adams Oshimole
Rabiu Kwankwaso, Chibuike Amaechi, Babatunde Fashola, Aminu Tambuwal, Owelle
Rochas Okorocha, Aliyu Wamakko, Godswill Akpabio, Kashim Shettima to name just
a few. The letter making the request containing over a 100 names demonstrates
the seriousness that Nigerians should attach to this effort. Instead of choosing whose asset declaration we should see,
Nigerians through SNG are saying bring them all.
It is clear that a
public release of this information would assist the fight against corruption in
Nigeria. It will also show if indeed there is no corruption in the fight against
corruption. It is only when these assets declaration forms of these persons are
made public can Nigerians be a good position to believe that the current
governments’ fight against corruption is not corruption itself.
PRESS CONFERENCE
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