Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), said he would publicly
declare his assets and liabilities, if voted into power.
Buhari stated this in a document obtained by our
correspondent in Abuja on Thursday. The document highlights
what Buhari will do in his first 100 days if he assumes power
on May 29.
He said he would encourage political appointees in his
administration to also declare their assets publicly.
If the APC candidate keeps to his promise, he will be the
second Nigeria’s President to publicly declare his assets.
The late President, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, also from Katsina
State as Buhari, was the first and the only Nigeria’s President
to have publicly declared his assets when he assumed office.
This action forced his then deputy, who is now the President
Goodluck Jonathan, to also make his assets declaration forms
available to the public.
However, since he assumed office as the substantive
President, Jonathan has refused to make the forms available
to the public, saying that he did that when he was serving as
deputy to Yar’Adua.
Asked during a media chat whether he would consider
declaring his assets publicity, the President refused, saying he
did not give a damn.
But Buhari, in the document titled, “I pledge to Nigeria” also
said that all his political appointees would only earn salaries
and allowances as prescribed by the Revenue and
Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission.
He said, “I pledge to publicly declare my assets and liabilities,
encourage all my appointees to publicity declare their assets
and liabilities as a pre-condition for appointment.
“All political appointees will only earn the salaries and
allowances determined by the RMFAC.”
While pledging to personally lead the war against corruption in
the country, Buhari also said that he would inaugurate the
National Council on Procurement as stipulated in the
Procurement Act.
He added that the Federal Executive Council, which he said
had been turned to a weekly session of contract bazaar,
would be made to concentrate on its principal function of
policy making.
He said that he would also work with the National Assembly
towards the immediate enactment of a Whistle Blower Act.
On the other ways to strengthen the anti-graft war, he said,
“We will work with the National Assembly to strengthen the
Independent Corruption Practices and other related Offences
Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission by guaranteeing institutional autonomy, including
financial and prosecutorial independence and security of
tenure of officials.
“We will also make the Financial Intelligence Unit of the EFCC
autonomous and operational; encourage proactive disclosure
of information by government institutions in the spirit of the
Freedom of Information Act.”
He also promised that his government would work with the
leadership of the National Assembly and the judiciary to cut
down the cost of governance.
On insurgency and insecurity in the country, the former head
of state said that he had had the rare privilege of serving the
country in the military in various capacities and rose to the
rank of a major general and Commander -in -Chief of the
Armed Forces, he would defend the integrity of the nation.
“I pledge, as Commander-in-Chief, to lead from the front and
not behind in the comfort and security of Aso Rock, to boost
the morale of fighting forces and the generality of all
Nigerians,” he said.
On the fate of the kidnapped Chibok girls, Buhari said that as
a father, he had been feeling the pain of the victims of
insurgency, kidnapping and violence whether “they are widows
and orphans of the military, paramilitary, civilians and parents
or the Chibok girls.
“My government shall act decisively on any actionable
intelligence to # BringBack Our Girls.”