The Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said
that he had declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau in accordance to
law.
Wike explained that he had by his action, fulfilled the
country’s constitutional requirement, adding that public declaration of assets
was not part of the dictates of the law.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,
Opunabo Inko-Tariah, the governor pointed out that it was necessary for people
to de-emphasise asset declaration, stressing that the sincerity behind such an
exercise was the most important thing.
According to Wike, some public office holders could declare
more than their assets to pave the way for them to steal public funds in future
while others, who had held public offices in the past, might not disclose fully
their assets in order to give the impression that they were never involved in
corrupt practices while in office.
He stressed that the most important thing was for public
office holders to deliver the dividends of democracy, adding that his main
interest was to develop the state and the people.
“The governor has declared his assets and this is exactly
what he told newsmen during the tour of his administration’s projects. There is
no law compelling him to make his declaration public. He has declared his
assets and the declaration was made to the relevant authority.
“Let me also say that it is not just about asset
declaration; it has to do with the sincerity of the person because some may
‘over-declare’ when they want to steal in future. So, they declare to accommodate
the theft in future.
“Some may also declare for whatever reason; maybe they have
held public offices in the past and they don’t want people to know that they
have stolen money. So, people will ‘under-declare’; it is not all about the
declaration of assets.
“What is crucial is the sincerity of the person declaring
and you are supposed to declare when you get out of office. But the truth is
that if you are a governor or a minister, what matters is the delivery of the
dividends of democracy. That is what is important and it is not about what you
declare and how much you declare”, Wike added.
On the claim by the opposition All Progressives Congress in
the state that most of the projects completed by him were started by his
predecessor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Wike said it was wrong for anybody to
personalise governance.
According to him, projects that would have an impact on the
lives of the people should not be abandoned by any successor.
He said, “The governor (Wike) completed some of the projects
Amaechi started, but the governor also initiated his own projects, completed
and inaugurated them within 100 days.
“It is a little bit disturbing that people have started
personalising governance. They should not personalise governance because it is
a continuum. You do the best you can and leave for your successor to continue
from where you stopped.
“The money spent on the projects belong to the state and by
extension, Rivers people because they pay their taxes. There are some projects
that cannot be done within four years and if such projects were not completed,
you successor can continue from where you stopped”.
Credit: Vanguard
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