Code of Conduct Bureau goes after govs, ministers’ assets

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA — The Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, yesterday, said it has commenced the process of verifying personal assets of governors of the 36 states of the Federation and serving ministers.

CCB Chairman, Mr Sam Saba, who made the declaration on a day the General Overseer and Founder of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi, paid a courtesy visit to the Bureau headquarters in Abuja, also said the amount of money being taken out of Nigeria everyday is enormous. Mr Saba said the verification of the assets would be based on the assets declaration forms already filled and submitted by both the governors and ministers.

He noted that the Bureau, in-line with its statutory mandate as encapsulated in the 5th Schedule Part 1 and Section 85 of the 1999 Constitution, recently gave the governors three months within which to declare their personal assets, stressing that though the directive was duly complied with, however, any of them found to had compromised in any way, would be recommended for prosecution by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.

Police Affairs Minister, Capt. Caleb Olubolade (left); Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike;; Agricultural Resources Minister, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (2nd left); Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi (2nd right) and the Water Resources Minister, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe during the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the State House, Abuja, recently. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Nevertheless, Saba, who said he was delighted with the visit of Pastor Kumuyi, while reacting to questions from newsmen on why CCB never scrutinized the personal assets of some pastors who allegedly own fleet of cars and private jets, said “our jurisdiction does not extend to Pastors and other religious leaders. The mandate of CCB is only in relation to public officers.

“Presently, all ministers and sitting governors have declared their assets, but I can assure you that verification is still ongoing. The truth is that we really don’t have problems with politicians because once they are coming into office; they fill the asset declaration form as a requirement for screening by the National Assembly.

“Where we have problem is with their advisers who are not screened, being appointees of the politicians.

“The truth is that the quantum of money being taken out of Nigeria everyday is enormous. If not for the blessings of God, this country would have been bankrupt a long time ago, that is why we thank God for the intervention of men of God like Pastor Kumuyi.”

Meanwhile, Pastor Kumuyi who was accompanied on the visit by his new wife, Esther, decried the increasing down-turn of things in the country, saying “the work CCB is doing is very vital for the survival of this country.”

While urging the Bureau to embrace integrity and accountability in all its dealing with politicians, Kumuyi lamented that “we are rich but how we manage fund, for most of us in the public sector, is highly unacceptable.

“We should all know that things we do go into record before man and God. Even when we have passed on, the generation after us will look back and say, this is what we did and what we did not do. This is why we must leave a legacy behind that will help us in future.

“In this country, we have all the money we are looking for but we know that money doesn’t answer all things. This is why you at the CCB must see your work as sacred. If you want to do your work faithfully and creditably, you must not look for money or personal gains,” he added.

After his words of exaltation, members of staff of the CCB, comprising both Christians and Muslims, asked Kumuyi to pray for the establishment, a request he accordingly granted yesterday.