President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he has a strong weapon with which he will defend himself against corrupt leaders he has been dealing with and who will want to fight him back after leaving office in 2023.
The President, who received a fresh Assets Declaration Form from the Code of Conduct Bureau, Professor Mohammed Isa at the Presidential Villa today, Monday, said: “I assure you (that) I will quickly fill this form and dispatch it back to you so that at the end of 2023, I believe there are a lot of people that will like to take it back on me.
“So, please, make sure you keep it safely because there are people who believe they shouldn’t be questioned which they are being questioned and some of them are already in trouble.
“I expect them to fight back and this is one of the instruments. So I hope you will keep it when I finish.”
President Buhari said that he was meeting the chairman and members of the Bureau for the first time since their appointment, adding: “I have never met you before.”
Buhari stressed that he will fill the form constitutionally before his second term of office, saying that the importance of the Bureau could not be over emphasized.
According to the President, Nigerians are notorious for cutting shortcut in serving, and in accounting public responsibilities.
“We are trying to impress our nation and the world that this administration is based on accountability. (the Bureau) is the only institution that will bail us out from the efforts that we have been making to make sure that people in public offices do not abuse that public offices and that those who come in and those that are leaving in certain positions make sure that they hold the integrity of the office and of the country generally.”
Earlier, the chairman, Professor Mohammed Isa had expressed gratitude to President Buhari for finding members of the Bureau worthy of being appointed for the important institution which he described as “a pioneer anti corruption institution.”
“Mr. President, as part of the constitutional requirements, there is need for every public officer – President, Vice, Minister, members of the National Assembly – to swear in his assets declaration and liabilities in compliance with paragraph 11 sub 1 of the part 1 of fifth schedule to the Constitution.
“Mr. President, it is in view of this we found it pertinence to present ourselves and also present to forms to you, and the Vice President for end of tenure and beginning of new tenure in office. The forms are readily here with us for presentation.”
Other members of the Bureau are Barrister. Murtala Kankia,and Dr.. Emmanuel Attah.
