Senate sacks Danladi Umar as chairman CCT

The Nigerian Senate has invoked Section 157 (1) of the Constitution to remove Yakubu Danladi Umar from his position as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), citing unacceptable acts of misconduct.

The decision to dismiss Umar was based on allegations of gross misconduct, which the Senate deemed unbecoming of someone holding such a significant office.

The removal of Umar followed a motion that was supported by two-thirds of the Senators, with 74 members signing in favor. A total of 84 Senators participated in the motion, which was debated behind closed doors before being formally moved by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

The motion, titled "Invocation of the provision of Section 157 (1) of the Constitution for the removal of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal," was carried out in accordance with the constitutional provisions.

Senator Bamidele outlined the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the importance of the Code of Conduct Tribunal in upholding high moral standards for public officers. “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 standards of morality in the conduct of government business,” he said.

He further highlighted the importance of integrity and accountability within such a vital institution, which Umar's actions had compromised.

Bamidele continued, “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.”

The Senate’s concerns were amplified by reports of Umar's absenteeism from office for over a month without permission, along with accusations of corruption, misappropriation of funds, and an alleged physical altercation with a security man.

These allegations led to an investigation by several anti-corruption agencies, including the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS.

Additionally, the Senate noted Umar’s lack of cooperation with the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, which had summoned him multiple times. He only appeared once and then avoided subsequent invitations.

Following the overwhelming allegations against Umar, the Senate formally acknowledged the need for his removal to allow the newly confirmed Chairman, Abdullahi Usman Bello, to officially take office. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had forwarded Bello’s nomination to the Senate earlier, and his appointment was confirmed in July 2024.