To grow, every nation must know how to rid the society of corrupt practices, especially if it is among its leaders or political office holders.
Nigeria is one of such countries that need that kind of reform to move forward. A few organisation are taking the lead in demanding the right leadership from Nigerian leaders.
A civil society organisation has dragged the acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to court for failing to declare his assets to Nigerians.
Really, there are many ways the citizens of a great country like Nigeria can call their leaders or politically appointed officials to order.
One of such ways is what the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Foundation (NACAT) is currently employing and which media houses are feasting on.
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NACAT, has taken the big boys at the Central Bank of Nigeria, to court, for failing to properly declare their assets.
Asset Declaration
Assets declaration is a way of monitoring what a public official owns before taking office.
Basically, it requires the person to come forward and fill the form by him or herself.
It gives room for transparency and helps the people trust their officials while also mitigating against corruption.
One would have thought that these public officials would know this requirement and also learn from those whose cases have lingered and are still lingering on in court, for failing to declare assets.
Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Sadly, some people take on public office engagement without considering the necessity of letting the people know their worth at the time they got government engagements.
NACAT, filed the lawsuit against the Acting Governor, Folashodun Shonubi, and Deputy Governor, Edward Adamu, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Assets In Companies
The applicant premised the suit on the strength of Section 1(1) and (2) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.
In a suit submitted on August 25, 2023, the group alleged that Shonubi refused to declare his interest in the following companies:
- Intameks Ltd– RC13086; Kirby’s Place Resources Ltd – RC1215845;
- The Pekaboo Company Ltd – RC1395011;
- Ehlkuhile Investment Ltd– RC857442; Iscopeng Ltd – RC1431044; and
- Kilima Technologies Ltd – RC1218250.
They also claimed that Adamu did not declare his interest in the following Companies:
- Pinnacle Solutions Network Ltd – RC698688;
- Elad Global Resources Limited – RC933366 and
- Global World Frontier Services Nig. Ltd – RC772500.
The operation manager of NACAT, Stanley Ugagbe, stated that while assuming their respective offices as Acting Governor and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the respondents, as public officials, have statutory obligations to declare their interests in the above-named companies.
Ugagbe said NACAT, had a right to demand under the Freedom of Information Act, (FoI) 2011, for the Assets and Liabilities Declaration Forms of Shonubi and Adamu.
Intervention Of The Court
“We have, however, requested and they have refused to respond to us, we are now requesting the intervention of the court in this matter.
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“The applicant submitted that it needed the intervention of the court to compel the 1st and 2nd respondents to grant the request of the applicant, in accordance with Section 1 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act.
“The applicants predicated their prayers on the ground that they had written letters dated July 3, 2023, and August 14, 2023, requesting the respondents to produce the said documents, but they refused.
“The respondents have failed, refused and neglected to produce the said documents requested from them, contrary to section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011” the counsel stated.
NACAT’s objectives include contributing to the global war against corruption, financial crimes, terrorism and economic sabotage.
Meanwhile, no date has been set for the hearing of the suit.
This is one of the cases before the judiciary in Nigeria. The other one is the election petition that everyone is looking forward to seeing his judgement.
See how the Judiciary is doing on the petition.
