Reps back Senate, remove Umar as CCT chair

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, invoked Section 17 (3), Part 1, Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to remove the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Umar Danladi, from office.

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvbere.

He drew the attention of his colleagues to the fact that Umar engaged in a public fight with a security guard at the Banex Plaza Shopping Complex, Abuja, in 2021, necessitating an invitation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.

Last week, the Senate removed the CCT boss from office, citing relevant provisions of the constitution.

Moving the motion on the floor of the Green Chamber, Ihonvbere noted that a statutory institution of the magnitude of CCT is expected to be an epitome of moral rectitude and virtues of integrity, probity, and accountability.

He added that Danladi had fallen short of the requisite standard of a public officer to conduct the affairs of such a tribunal.

He said, “The House is aware of the conduct of the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, who recently engaged in a public brawl with a security guard at the Banex Plaza Shopping Complex, which necessitated an invitation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.

“He admitted to having been involved in the brawl, but he refused to attend subsequent sittings, thereby frustrating the efforts of the Committee to investigate the allegations against him.

“The House recalls that by virtue of the provisions of Section 17 (3), PT 1, Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Section 22(3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15 LFN 2004, Mr President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces is mandated to act on an address supported by a two-thirds majority of the Senate and House of Representatives and praying that the Chairman be so removed for misconduct.

“We affirm that the invocation of the aforementioned constitutional provision in this circumstance seems to be the only way out to safeguard the sacred image of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, in line with the resolution of the 10th National Assembly to uphold the rule of law and sustain the ideals of corporate governance structure in Nigeria.”

An attempt by the member representing Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency, Bauchi State, Mansur Soro, to intervene to buy Danladir some days via a constitutional point of order was rejected by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.

Abbas said, “The House is merely concurring with the Senate, which took a position on this matter last week. The position already taken by the Senate should be respected.”