Court Rules On Lawsuit Demanding CCB Disclosure Of Assets Of Jonathan, Buhari, Osinbajo, Others

Court Rules On Lawsuit Demanding CCB Disclosure Of Assets Of Jonathan, Buhari, Osinbajo, Others

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has delivered its judgment on a suit seeking to compel the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to reveal the assets declared by former presidents, vice presidents, and principal officers of the National Assembly……READ ALSO Court Remands Oil Magnate, Akintoye Akindele, Over $5.6 Million Alleged Fraud In Kuje Prison

The lawsuit was brought forward by the Public & Private Development Centre (PPDC) and the Incorporated Trustees of the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy, who sought access to the asset declaration forms submitted to the CCB by past political leaders under the Freedom of Information Act.

In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of justices dismissed the appeals filed by the two non-governmental organizations. The organizations specifically requested the asset declaration forms of former president Goodluck Jonathan, his vice Namadi Sambo, former president Muhammadu Buhari, his vice Yemi Osinbajo, and former principal officers of the National Assembly.

The high court initially dismissed their suit, stating that they failed to meet the necessary conditions for the release of such information. Justice Okon Abang, delivering the verdict at the appellate court, emphasized that the appellants should have first compelled the National Assembly to establish terms and conditions for accessing the information before approaching the CCB.

He underscored that the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act should align with the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution, and any inconsistency would nullify the FOI Act.

Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the appellants were each awarded a cost of N200,000.