, Danladi Umar, over alleged gross misconduct.){kind=link}
The Senate has removed the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, over alleged gross misconduct.
The decision was made in line with Section 157(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the Senate to remove public officials following due process.
During a closed-door session that lasted over an hour and a half, more than 84 senators voted in favor of Umar’s removal.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who sponsored the motion, criticized Umar’s conduct, stating it fell below the standards required for a public officer heading such a pivotal institution.
Bamidele emphasized that the CCT must represent integrity, probity, and accountability, but Umar’s actions have undermined these principles.
The Senate noted a series of allegations against Umar, including absenteeism from office for over a month without permission, multiple petitions of corruption and misconduct, a physical altercation with a security guard in Abuja, and ongoing investigations by the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS. Despite being summoned by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions during the 9th Assembly, Umar reportedly appeared only once and refused to honor further invitations.
President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of Abdullahi Usman Bello as the new Chairman of the CCT, confirmed by the Senate in July 2024, has now paved the way for a leadership change at the Tribunal. The Senate resolved that invoking Section 157(1) was necessary to safeguard the integrity of the CCT and ensure it remains a symbol of good governance in Nigeria.
This decision, the first of its kind since 1999, underscored the Senate’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining public trust in critical institutions.