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November 20, (THEWILL) – The Senate has approved the removal of Justice Danladi Umar as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, citing allegations of gross misconduct, absenteeism, and corruption.
This decision followed the adoption of a motion presented at Wednesday’s plenary by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who invoked Section 157(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to justify the action.
Bamidele noted Umar’s removal marks the culmination of a series of investigations and petitions that have dogged his tenure.
The senator added that the investigations included allegations of corruption, misappropriation, and an infamous physical altercation with a security guard in the Federal Capital Territory.
His conduct was also reportedly scrutinised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Department of State Services.
In his 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, Bamidele detailed the basis for the Senate’s action.
He stated, “The Senate has been inundated with a series of petitions and allegations of corruption and misconduct against the Chairman.
“This necessitated the 9th Senate’s Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions Committee to conduct multiple investigative hearings to unravel the circumstances surrounding these allegations.”
He added that Umar’s absenteeism from office for over a month without permission, coupled with the gravity of the allegations, rendered him unfit to continue as the head of the tribunal.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had previously nominated Abdullahi Usman Bello as the new CCT Chairman in July 2024.
However, constitutional provisions required the Senate’s endorsement for Umar’s removal before the new appointment could be fully implemented.
Bamidele noted that the President’s nomination of Bello as the incoming CCT Chairman was confirmed by the Senate on July 4, 2024, paving the way for Umar’s removal.
In a decisive vote, 74 out of the 84 senators in attendance supported Umar’s removal, affirming the motion’s adoption.
