CJN trial: Politicians, top public servants rush to declare assets

* Aides stand in for their principals
* Bureau staff overwhelmed
* APC, PDP stalwarts jittery

In order not to be caught in the web that had just entangled the
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, top
politicians, civil servants and many public officers have begun
thronging the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in a bid to declare or
update their assets, investigations by Saturday Telegraph has
revealed. Our correspondents had during the week noticed unusual
visits to the Bureau by some aides of some big shots within the
political class, prompting a check on the unusual activities.

The checks, however, revealed that the moves were propelled by
the ongoing trial of the CJN over alleged non-declaration of
assets. Some of the aides of the top shots seen at the CCB confided
in our correspondent that fears and tension had gripped their
principals, who had to resort to the latest step because they are
afraid that the Federal Government may come after them using the
same method. One of them was even of the view that the government
has concluded plans to nail anyone that could be a stumbling block
to the second term ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari and the
return of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to power. But he was
quick to add that the visit is not limited to members of the
opposition party.

Citing the latest statement credited to the Minister of
Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in which he said that the
Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, would be questioned when he returns from his
trip to the United States, the aide said every politician and civil
servants must be extremely careful now so as not to fall prey. “Did
you hear what they just said about Atiku and the Bank PHB? I think
anybody that wants to enjoy his or her freedom under this regime
should do the needful by ensuring that they follow the due process
and not run foul of the law.

“But it is not only PDP people that are showing up there, even
strong APC stalwarts had been sending their aides to the CCB to
update their records. This man in charge is a respecter of nobody”,
he said. He also recalled that the Federal Government had slammed a
six-count criminal charge on the CJN before the Code of Conduct
Tribunal, for allegedly not disclosing about five accounts, which
he is said to be operating with Standard Chattered Bank. In the
same vein, a source in the Bureau, who pleaded for anonymity,
confirmed to Saturday Telegraph that, since Monday, many top civil
and public servants had been visiting the agency to either declare
their assets or update their records. According to the CCB source,
the manner the people involved had been paying visits to the
organisation had been mindboggling, noting that the staff were
overwhelmed.

“Since this week started, we have been seeing many civil
servants and public servants coming here to declare their assets.
“We strongly believe that it was as a result of the charge filed
against the CJN for failure to declare his assets. The law is that
public office holders must declare their assets, when they are
coming to office and also do same, when they are leaving the
office.

“For civil servants, they are expected to update their assets
declaration form every four years. But a lot of those concerned
have failed to do this. I think they have now learnt a lesson from
what is happening to the CJN who also failed to declare some of his
assets in the declaration form.” Some politicians however informed
Saturday Telegraph that they had to take the step, not just because
they were afraid but also because it is the right thing to do. An
APC House of Representatives candidate who met with one of our
correspondents in Lagos, said he was in the know of the latest rush
by his colleagues, explaining that the party had already warned
against the non-declaration of as especially as the general
election approaches.

The candidate who is currently representing one of the local
governments in the South West was emphatic about the party’s
position. “Whoever is caught will have to face the music, the party
had told us to fill the form carefully. At every occasion when the
issue cropped up, we were warned never to put what we cannot
defend.

“I am not surprised that some people are now rushing to update
their records, it is something they should have done long ago.
There is need for serious caution,” he said. Earlier, the new
Chairman of the Bureau, Prof. Isah Mohammed, had been reported to
have warned that the Bureau was more than ever prepared to
prosecute erring civil servants and public office holders at both
federal and state levels over the non-declaration of assets.
According to the reports,Mohammed had advised civil servants and
public office holders against flagrant abuse of its Act by
declaring their assets at the required regular intervals. Mohammed
said the bureau had not been particularly active in the monitoring
and prosecution of offenders, adding that there was a renewed
commitment to ensure that the body remained proactive.

“The Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal are
the creation of the 1999 Constitution as amended and we have
resolved to ensure full application of the law against offenders.
“We are collaborating with other anti-corruption agencies and the
police to form the required synergy to fight corruption in the
country. “There would be no hiding place for a public servant who
keeps away his or her assets from public knowledge. Such assets
must be declared at CCB at the right time”, he said.

Mohammed said the bureau was considering a nationwide publicity
campaign to educate civil servants and public office holders on the
danger of not declaring their assets adequately. He also said
ministries, departments and agencies of government should appoint
desk officers that would continually abreast other staff of the
need to update their assets with the bureau. “It is elementary to
state that public servants have the mandate to renew their CCB
asset declaration form at four years interval. “Let me also tell
you here that new appointees and employees of government are
respectively mandated to declare their assets after joining the
service”, he was quoted as saying.