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'I'll not openly declare my assets'
30/07/2007 08:41 - (SA)
Lagos - Nigerian vice-president Goodluck Jonathan has said he will not make public his assets in defiance of public pressure to follow the example of President Umaru Ya'Adua.
Jonathan said: "Some people had expected me to openly declare my assets as my boss did... If the law says so, I will do it. But the law does not say it - it is discretional."
He said he had already declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
According to Jonathan: "I have done so while I was deputy governor, later as governor I have five declarations of assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau."
Nigerian law required public officers to file declaration of assets at the Bureau before and at the latest three months after taking office.
There was mounting media and public pressure for officials to emulate the president in a country, where corruption was very high, especially among public office holders.
The anti-graft economic and financial crime commission was currently prosecuting some former governors over alleged corrupt practices while they were in office.
Four of the former governors - Orji Uzor Kalu of southern Abia state, Saminu Turaki (northern state of Jigawa), Joshua Dariye (north central Plateau state) and Chimaroke Nnamani of southern Enugu state - were last week ordered remanded in prison by various courts over several cases of money laundering, stealing and abuse of office while in power.
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