CHAPTER ONE

1.1   Introduction

        The 1999 Nigeria Constitution, or its amendments[1], is very clear on assets declaration by public officials. Declaration of assets by public officers in Nigeria is not a voluntary exercise. Rather they are mandated by the law to do so before and after occupying public offices. Since 1999 every public official have been required to freely declare their assets and the Nigerian public, who actually need to know how much of their money has always been used by public office holders for personal asset acquisition, has always been kept out of the entire exercise. Part of our demand for access to public information ought to have guaranteed that the public, who are major stakeholders, be in a position to bring their representatives into book; both before and after office tenure. The exercise to verify, ascertain, or disagree with any asset declaration may not be used on selective bases or to bring down a none complying, uncomforming, or errant opponents. This ought not be so. Rather we think it should be part of

[1] Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as Amended