President Tinubu nominates three individuals for board positions at the Code of Conduct Bureau, aiming to strengthen the bureau’s operations and promote accountability.
To strengthen oversight mechanisms, President Bola Tinubu has nominated three new members to fill vacancies on the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) board.
The announcement was conveyed through a formal letter directed to the President of the Senate.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that the nominees are Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle from Oyo State, Kennedy Ikpeme from Cross River, and Justice Ibrahim Buba, a retired judge of the Federal High Court.
Founded in 1979, the Code of Conduct Bureau is essential for upholding integrity in public service and ensuring adherence to the country’s ethical standards.
The Bureau is managed by a board consisting of 10 members.
On October 23, 2024, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello was inaugurated as the chairman of the board by President Tinubu.
The present board members are Barrister Muritala Aliyu Kankia, Honorable E. J. Agbomayinma, Barrister Ben Umeano, and Professor Juwayriyya Badamasiuy.
The other members are Bulus I. Zephaniah and Honorable Abdulsalam Taofiq Olawale.
This development follows a series of back-and-forth actions by both the Senate and House of Representatives aimed at removing Umar Danladi from his position as chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, amid allegations of corruption and misconduct.
On the previous Wednesday, the Senate, under the leadership of Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, invoked Section 157 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution to justify their resolution.
On Tuesday, similar to the Senate, the House of Representatives utilized paragraph 17 (3), Part 1, of the fifth schedule in the constitution to remove Danladi.
However, on Tuesday, the Senate acknowledged that the section referenced related to the removal of certain public officials and not specifically to the CCT chairman.
READ ALSO: CCT Chair Abused Office, Must Resign, Says Falana
During the plenary session, the Senate Leader acknowledged what they referred to as a mistake.
Bamidele urged the Senate to reverse the previous constitutional provision and implement the accurate legal references. He clarified that Section 17 (3) of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 2004 were the correct sections to support this resolution.
According to Section 17 (3), both the Senate and the House of Representatives are required to pass an address with a two-thirds majority in order to advise the President on removing certain public officials. Bamidele also emphasized that concurrence from the House of Representatives is essential for this resolution’s effectiveness.
“The Senate mistakenly relied on Section 157 (1) for its resolution, which is not applicable to the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The appropriate legal references are Section 17 (3) of the Constitution and Section 22 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 2004. We need to amend this error for the resolution to hold legal validity,” Bamidele informed his colleagues.
The Senate unanimously approved Bamidele’s motion to rectify the error and amend the resolution accordingly.
The resolution, which has been approved by the House of Representatives, formally advises President Tinubu to dismiss Danladi from his position. The allegations against the CCT chairman involve corruption and misconduct.
