The Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered a ruling on Friday, dismissing separate appeals aimed at compelling the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to disclose the asset declaration forms of former presidents, their vice presidents, and principal officers of the National Assembly.
The appeals were filed by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and the Incorporated Trustees of the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy.
PPDC sought access to the asset declaration forms of former President Goodluck Jonathan, his Vice President Namadi Sambo, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, while the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy requested those of former National Assembly principal officers.
The appeals stemmed from the refusal of the CCB and its chairman to release the asset declaration forms in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. However, the trial judge, A. G. Abdu-Kafarati, dismissed the applications, citing that the National Assembly had not prescribed terms and conditions for such requests.
Unsatisfied with the lower court’s decision, the appellants approached the Court of Appeal seeking redress. In his lead judgment, Justice Okon Abang dismissed the appeals, deeming them immature. He stated that the National Assembly had not provided terms and conditions for public access to asset declaration forms, as required by the Constitution.
Justice Abang emphasized the supremacy of the 1999 Constitution, stating that any provision of the FOI Act inconsistent with the Constitution would be nullified. He ordered the appellants to comply with constitutional provisions and awarded costs of N200,000 against each appellant.
