On Wednesday, the Nigerian Senate passed a resolution with the backing of a two-thirds majority, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove Yakubu Danladi Umar from his position as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) due to allegations of misconduct and negligence.
The motion, titled “Invocation of Section 157(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), for the Removal of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal,” was brought before the Senate by Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC – Ekiti Central).
After an hour-long executive session, the Senate resolved to activate the constitutional provision under Section 157 (1), sending an official address to President Tinubu for Umar’s removal and the formal appointment of Abdullahi Usman Bello as the new substantive Chairman of the Tribunal.
The Senate’s call for Umar’s removal is based on several allegations of misconduct, including corruption and mismanagement, which are currently under investigation by security agencies.
In his lead debate, Senator Bamidele noted that the CCT, as an important federal institution, is tasked with ensuring the highest standards of morality, integrity, and accountability in government affairs. However, he stated that Umar’s conduct has failed to meet these standards.
Bamidele explained that the Senate had received numerous petitions against Umar, prompting investigations by the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions. Despite being invited multiple times to testify, Umar only appeared once and then failed to attend subsequent hearings.
His absenteeism from office for over a month, coupled with ongoing investigations into corruption, misappropriation, and even a public altercation with a security officer in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), were cited as reasons for the Senate’s decision.
The Senate also recalled that on July 4, 2024, President Tinubu had forwarded the name of Abdullahi Usman Bello for confirmation as the new CCT Chairman, a position which was duly confirmed by the Senate.
Citing the Constitution, Senator Bamidele emphasised that the invocation of Section 157 (1) for Umar’s removal is necessary to uphold the integrity of the CCT and safeguard the rule of law.
The resolution was passed by 72 Senators, with the necessary two-thirds majority, while 10 others were absent due to committee meetings.
