Tinubu's wealth estimated at $4bn? Buhari, Yar'Adua's net worth revealed

Stakeholders, among whom are civil society organisations (CSOs), have said that it is a moral burden on President Bola Tinubu to declare his assets.

The CSOs said Tinubu’s net worth is unknown, and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) is quiet on Tinubu’s record.

Legit.ng understands that only former presidents: late Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and Muhammadu Buhari, publicly declared their assets as Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan “derided the rule”.

Yar’Adua declared assets, which was valued at N856, 452,892, with a total annual income that was put at N18.7 million. He also disclosed that his wife, Turai, had a total asset of N19 million, made up of houses.

In 2015, former President Buhari made a sketchy declaration of his assets, revealing that he had less than N30 million in his bank accounts at the time. In a breakdown of assets, Buhari said he had $150,000, two mud houses, livestock and an orchard, and a plot of land.

Recall that the code of Conduct for Public Officers, contained in Part I of the fifth schedule to the 1999 constitution (as amended) provides that every public officer shall immediately after taking office, and thereafter (a) at the end of every four years; and (b) at the end of his/her term of office, submit to the CCB a written declaration of all his properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his unmarried children under the age of 18 years.

The inherent secrecy of the provision has, however, become an alibi for most public office holders to either deride the entire provision or allegedly compromise relevant officials for cover ups.

In the case of President Tinubu, Freedom of Information (FoI) has not proven resourceful on his asset records.

Guardian newspaper said recent efforts to inquire from the immediate past CCB Chairman, Isa Muhammed, whether President Tinubu and others have declared their assets to the bureau, met a stonewall. The paper reported that as the sitting president, an asset declaration would have dispelled or affirmed claims that Tinubu has wealth estimates of over $4 billion.

Tinubu shares journey to wealth

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Tinubu narrated his journey from being a student to the top in business and political careers such as Exxon Mobil and subsequently becoming a successful politician.

The president said Nigeria is not poor in knowledge and human resources but deficient in leadership and management, which was why he ran for the office of the number one citizen.

Legit.ng also reported that the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Remi Tinubu, said her family does not need Nigeria’s wealth to survive.

According to the wife of the president, she and her husband need the grace of God to govern.

Buhari says he has no property abroad

In another related news, Legit.ng reported that Buhari disclosed that he has no properties outside Nigeria and nobody can accuse him of embezzlement.

Speaking at the state banquet organised in his honour in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, Buhari said, "I do not have one square inch outside Nigeria."