VP Goodluck Jonathan

The Vice president Goodluck Jonathan yesterday capitulated to public pressure over the public declaration of his assets as done by his boss, President Umaru Yaradua as he made public his assets declaration to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

The assets which were made public by the senior Special Assistant to the Vice president on Media and Public Affairs, Ima Niboro indicates that the value of the Vice president total assets and cash in banks stands at N295,304,420.

This is about N561, 148,472 less than the assets declare by President Umaru Yar’Adua who declared his total assets to be at the value of N856,452,892.

Mr. Iniboro said the vice president’s decision to make public his assets declaration was to show that ‘there is nothing to hide’.

He added that the vice president is ‘a firm believer in the rule of law and this has guided his conduct in office through the years.

“It is this belief that also guided his position that having declared his assets for a total of seven times, there was no point in going further to publish the declaration” he noted

The vice president’s aide regretted that the position of the vice president not to make public his assets declaration had ‘generated an unfortunate storm, which is not only distractive but also quite unnecessary. We are worried that some newspapers and citizens we hold in high esteem have joined the fray.

“This merely shows that in the affairs of man, there comes a time when even the law must take a second place and the public mood must define our actions. To The Vice president, this is such a time, hence the choice to send you a copy of his declaration for publication” he said.

In the assets declaration made public yesterday, it indicated that the vice president submitted his assets declaration before Justice Muktar Dodo of the Abuja high court on 30th May 2007, a day after the oath of office and oath of allegiance was administered on him.

A break down of the assets of the vice president indicates that he has four buildings located in Yenegoa, Abuja and his home town in Ogbia, Bayelsa state.

The Vice president said he owns a five bedroom Duplex in Gwarimpa 11, Abuja which was acquired in 2003 through loan and is valued at N24,990,000 while another Seven Bedroom Duplex, which he described as Village personal Home is located at Otuoke in Ogbia Local government area of Bayelsa state. It is valued at the cost of N18,000, 000 and was acquired through ‘savings and gifts in Kind.

The last of the Vice president’s residential buildings are the Four bedroom Duplex acquired in 2003 through ‘savings and gift in Kind’ in the Kpansia area of Yenegoa. The value of the building, he said is N15,000,000. The last Building is the extended Family house in Yenegoa which he said is a four flat storey Building acquired between 2003 and 2007 through savings. The value of the property is put at N10,000,000.

Under vacant and undeveloped plots, the vice president stated as follows: 1032.50 square meter of land located at Onopa Yenegoa and valued at N3,098.00. Plot 2C, 374 Low density Area Yenegoa allocated by the bayelsa state government and valued at N150,000. 2760.00 square meter plot at cadastral Zone BO2, Durumi, Abuja allocated by the federal Capital Development Authority and valued at N5,578,540. One Parcel of farm Land at Otuoke Ogbia acquired through inheritance and estimated at the value of N50,000,000.

Plot Medium Density in Yenegoa allocated by the Federal Ministry of Works and housing the value of which he said is N1550.00

Plot 29, Low density Area Plot in Yenegoa allocated by the Bayelsa state government the value of which is put at N4,908. While the last undeveloped plot owned by the vice president is plot 2246 Cadastral Zone A06, Abuja the value of which he put at N4, 800,000. It was allocated by the Federal Capital development Authority, FCDA

The Vice president’s investment in stocks which is being managed by City Code Investment Company is as follows.

Other investments include 4nos passenger boats for hiring which is valued at N5, 260,000. While the total cash in Nigerian banks being personal saving of salaries/allowances and income from his investments stands at N58, 984,123.

The vice president house holds utensils including generators, a BMW car valued at N15, 800,000, which he said was a gift; air conditioners, furniture, electronics and kitchen utensils is valued at N41,800,000.