In a dramatic turn of events, the Nigerian Senate has passed a resolution authorising President Bola Tinubu to remove Mr. Yakubu Danladi Umar as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) due to allegations of misconduct and negligence.
The decision came after the Senate convened for an hour-long executive session, where the motion for Umar’s removal was considered and adopted.
The motion, titled “Invocation of the provision 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 sponsored by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader from Ekiti Central.
The Senate’s resolution gives President Tinubu the green light to officially relieve Umar of his duties, paving the way for Mr. Abdullahi Usman Bello to assume office as the new substantive Chairman of the Tribunal.
The Senate emphasized that the action was necessary because Mr. Umar’s behavior had allegedly fallen short of the expected standard for someone in his position.
Senator Bamidele argued that the CCT, which is responsible for maintaining high standards of public morality and ensuring the accountability of public officers, could not be seen as a beacon of integrity while it was headed by someone with questionable conduct.
“The Code of Conduct Tribunal is a key pillar in Nigeria’s public institutions. Its responsibilities include upholding the highest standards of morality in government,” Bamidele said. “Unfortunately, the conduct of Yakubu Danladi Umar, the Chairman of the Tribunal, has undermined these principles.”
He added that the Senate had been inundated with several petitions and allegations of corruption, negligence, and misconduct against Umar.
The allegations against Umar have been significant and troubling. Among the accusations are claims of corruption, misappropriation of funds, and even a public altercation with a security officer in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to Bamidele, the Senate had called Umar to answer to these accusations during several investigative hearings, but Umar only appeared once before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions. After that, he failed to honor subsequent invitations.
Additionally, the Senate is concerned about Umar’s extended absence from his office, where he reportedly failed to attend work for over a month without seeking permission or properly vacating his duties.
Senator Bamidele did not hold back in describing Umar’s actions. “These are acts of negligence and gross misconduct. They are unbecoming of someone holding the position of Chairman of such a prestigious Tribunal,” he said.
Further compounding the controversy, Umar is reportedly under investigation by several Nigerian security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Bamidele stressed that these investigations were critical in highlighting the gravity of the situation. He explained that the Senate’s resolution was aimed at safeguarding the reputation of the CCT and ensuring the proper functioning of the Tribunal.
The Senate Leader also expressed concern about the broader implications of Umar’s actions, suggesting that his continued stay in office would damage the credibility of the CCT and weaken the government’s efforts to fight corruption.
“It is clear that the conduct of the current Chairman does not reflect the values we expect from public officers. The integrity of our institutions must be upheld, especially those entrusted with enforcing accountability in public office,” he said.
