INAUGURATION: HOW MUCH DID IT COST?

2nd June, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: INAUGURATION: HOW MUCH DID IT COST? ASSETS MUST BE DECLARED NOW   The new administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was inaugurated  on Sunday, 29th May, 2011. Also inaugurated were new administrations in most states of the federation where the governors were sworn in.          The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) congratulates President Jonathan and all the new governors. We also felicitate with fellow Nigerians on this memorable occasion as Nigeria marks another significant milestone in its stride towards an enduring democracy.   MURIC asserts that transparency in governance is a major parameter for measuring good governance and the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the citizenry. A good starting point towards this golden ideal is for the presidency to tell Nigerians the cost of the inauguration at federal level. All state governors where inaugurations took place must also reveal the cost of the inauguration.   Today was born from the wombs of yesterday. Nigerians have learnt a lot from the kleptomania syndrome of the past in which leaders impoverished the people, lavished our resources on grandiose projects, their wives and children, their in-laws, their cronies, court-jesters and boot-lickers. While enjoining moderation, Qur'an 17:26-27 describes profligates as brothers of Shaytan. From now on, Nigerians want to know how much is spent at every step.   A second step in this direction is for all elected leaders of the people from the presidency to the law-makers in the states to declare their assets as at 29th May, 2011.   Nigerians have the right to know the economic status of Goodluck Jonathan, the state governors, returned and newly elected senators, returned and new members of the House of Representatives as well as state legislators. It is only by declaring their assets now that the citizens and indeed the anti-fraud agencies can detect any financial misdemeanor at the time of their exit in 2015.   Finally, therefore, MURIC charges the federal and state governments to tell Nigerians how much the May 29 inauguration cost Nigerian tax-payers. Secondly, we demand that President Jonathan and all newly installed state governors declare their assets immediately.   Is-haq Akintola (Ph.D), Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), 234-818-211-9714 E-mail: muslimrightsconcern@yahoo.co.uk              muslimrights@gmail.com Website: www.muric.net Yahoo Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/muslimrights Blog:       muslimrightsmuric.blogspot.com Twitter:   twitter.com/muslimconcern           Be just Justice is the soul of peace No one can deny one and have the other Neither can violence or naked force bring lasting peace