In a move to enhance oversight mechanisms, President Bola Tinubu has nominated three new members to fill existing vacancies on the board of the Code of Conduct Bureau.
The announcement was made in a formal letter addressed to the Senate President.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President, (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, listed the nominees as Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle from Oyo State, Kennedy Ikpeme from Cross River, and Justice Ibrahim Buba, a retired judge of the Federal High Court.
Established in 1979, the Code of Conduct Bureau plays a critical role in maintaining integrity within public service and ensuring compliance with the country’s ethical standards.
The Bureau operates with a 10-member board.
On October 23, 2024, President Tinubu swore in the chairman of the board, Abdullahi Usman Bello.
The current board includes: Muritala Aliyu Kankia, Hon. E J Agbomayinma, Ben Umeano, and Prof. Juwayriyya Badamasiuy.
Other members are Bulus I Zephaniah, and Abdulsalam Taofiq Olawale.
The development comes on the heels of back-and-forth moves by both the Senate and House of Representatives to sack Umar Danladi as chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal over allegations of corruption and misconduct.
Last Wednesday, the Senate led by the Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, invoked Section 157 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution as the legal basis for the resolution.
Like the Senate, the House of Representatives on Tuesday invoked the provision of paragraph 17 (3), Part 1, fifth schedule to the constitution for the removal of Danladi.
However, on Tuesday, the Senate admitted that the section invoked pertained to the removal of specific public officials, not the CCT chairman.
During plenary, the Senate Leader admitted what they described as a mistake.
Bamidele called on the Senate to rescind the earlier constitutional provision and adopt the correct legal references. He explained that the appropriate sections to support the resolution were Section 17 (3) of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 2004.
Under Section 17 (3), the Senate and the House of Representatives must pass an address supported by a two-thirds majority to advise the President on the removal of certain public officers.
Bamidele also highlighted the need for concurrence from the House of Representatives to ensure the resolution’s effectiveness.
“The Senate erroneously based its resolution on Section 157 (1), which does not apply to the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The correct provisions are Section 17 (3) of the Constitution and Section 22 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 2004. We must correct this for the resolution to take legal effect,” Bamidele told his colleagues.
The Senate unanimously agreed to Bamidele’s motion to correct the error and adjust the resolution accordingly.
The resolution which has enjoyed concurrence by the House of Representatives, has formally advised President Tinubu to remove Danladi from office.
The allegations against the CCT chairman include corruption and misconduct.
