Senate sacks code of conduct chairman over Wrongdoing

The Senate has withdrawn the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Yakubu Umar over misconduct.

The decision supported by 84 lawmakers was made under Section 157(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which empowers the Senate to remove key public officials following due process.

During the plenary, which followed a closed-door session lasting over half an hour, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele emphasized the pivotal role of the CCT in upholding high standards of morality and accountability in government. 

“The Code of Conduct Tribunal, as a statutory institution, is expected to uphold virtues of integrity, probity, and accountability. However, the conduct of Mr. Yakubu Danladi Umar has fallen short of these requisite standards for a public officer entrusted with such responsibilities,” he said.

Bamidele added that a statutory institution of such significance is expected to embody moral rectitude and uphold the virtues of integrity, probity, and accountability, saying the conduct of Mr. Yakubu Panladi Umar, the Chairman of the Tribunal, has fallen short of the standards expected of a public officer managing the affairs of such an institution.

According to him, “The Senate has been inundated with a 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 to unravel the circumstances surrounding those allegations”

“However, he appeared before the Committee only once a 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”.