The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) requested CCB to provide written declaration of assets of past and current principal officers of the 7th and 8th National Assembly.

The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) requested copies of declaration of assets for past and current governors of all 36 states and ministers since 2011,  assets of former President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice Namadi Sambo when they assumed office, as well as those of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Elected officers are constitutionally required to declare their assets, but counsel to both civil society groups said the Code of Conduct Bureau which houses the declarations “failed to respond to any of these requests within the time stipulated in the [FOI] Act.”

The ruling Justice Abdu Kafarati on April 3 means both PPDC and AFRICMIL can now bring litigation against CCB.

PPDC and AFRICMIL said in a statement, “It is the constitutional responsibility of the Bureau, to retain custody of written asset declaration forms of public officers and make them available and accessible for inspection any citizen of Nigeria on such terms and conditions as the national assembly may prescribe.”