Suspend CCT Chairman Pending Alleged Criminal Trial, Group Urges FG

Following the criminal charges filed against the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a human rights advocacy group, Access to Justice (A2J), has called for his immediate suspension pending his trial.

A2J also called on Umar to go on an indefinite leave, pending a formal suspension, notwithstanding the trial.

The group made the call in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Mr. Joseph Otteh.

The charges accuse Danladi Umar of de- manding and receiving bribes from Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo, a Defendant standing trial before the CCT for “favours to be afterwards shown” to him.

According to the group, it is no longer tenable for Umar to continue in office as the Chairman of the Tribunal.

“He has brought the CCT nothing but public ridicule and embarrassment, which has done incalculable harm to the image of the Tribunal and the Judiciary in Nigeria. The Tribunal, under Danladi Umar, does not have the integrity, public trust and “moral character” it needs to fight corruption, which is something of a paradox given that the Tribunal is established to enforce public morality. The Code of Conduct Tribunal, needs a new leadership that will restore public trust in the Tribunal, provide purposeful leadership for the staff of the Tribunal, and put the Tribunal's powers to effective use”, it stated.

Access to Justice also called on the government to appoint a third member to make the CCT meet its responsibility, arguing that “the failure of the Federal Government to appoint a 3rd member of the CCT to fill a position that has been vacant for many years now, greatly undermines the work of the CCT and the fight against corruption”.

The group further called for reform in the CCT, adding that there are many aspects of the framework of the CCT that sub-serves the Tribunal’s ability to function efficiently and with integrity.

“The government should use this opportunity to reform the framework of the CCT, and, most importantly, ensure that the CCT is no longer placed under the Executive Branch of Government but under the Judiciary, and is made accountable to judicial oversight bodies - such as the National Judicial Council. This will give the Tribunal greater independence, and ensure more effective oversight of Tribunal members, and make the tribunal a more accountable anti-corruption institution.”