The Nigerian Senate has removed Yakubu Danladi Umar as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). The decision was based on allegations of gross misconduct and a failure to uphold the standards expected of his office. The Senate acted under Section 157 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to enforce the removal.
The Senate took this step following months of mounting allegations against Umar. These included corruption claims, absenteeism, misappropriation, and involvement in a public altercation with a security officer in Abuja.
Despite being summoned multiple times by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions to address these allegations, Umar only appeared once and subsequently avoided further invitations.
The matter was discussed during a closed-door session of the Senate, which began at 1:17 p.m. and ended at 2:36 p.m. Following the session, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, the Senate Whip, moved to implement the constitutional provision for Umar’s removal.
The motion to sack Umar was presented by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and emphasized the necessity of maintaining integrity within the CCT.
According to Bamidele, ‘The Senate: Notes that the Code of Conduct Tribunal is one of the key components of Federal Institutions in the country, saddled with the sacred statutory responsibilities of maintaining high standard of morality in the conduct of government business and to ensure that the actions and behaviours of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability;
“Also notes that a statutory institution of such magnitude is expected to be an epitome of moral rectitude and should be seen to uphold the virtues of integrity, probity and accountability. However, the conduct of Mr. Yakubu Danladi Umar, who is the Chairman of the Tribunal has fallen short of the requisite standard of a public officer to conduct the affairs of such Tribunal;
“Concerned that the Senate has been inundated with series of petitions and allegations of corruption/misconduct against the Chairman, a situation that necessitated the 9th Senate, through the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to invite him to series of its investigative hearings in order to unravel the circumstances surrounding those allegations.
However, he appeared before the Committee only once and thereafter avoided subsequent invitations;
“Also concerned about his alleged absenteeism from office for more than one month, without permission and recuse to his position, coupled with preponderance of corruption allegation, misappropriation, and physical street brawl with a security man in the FCT vis-à-vis his current investigation by the EFCC, ICPC and the DSS. All these are tantamount to acts of negligence and gross misconduct, unbecoming of a Chairman of such a reputable Tribunal;
“Aware of the series of overwhelming allegations against the Chairman, Mr. President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, forwarded the name of Mr. Abdullahi Usman Bello to the Senate for confirmation as the new Chairman of the Tribunal, and at the Plenary Sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 4th July, 2024, his appointment was duly confirmed, hence the need for the erstwhile Chairman to vacate the office for the substantive Chairman to officially resume office.”
