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Drama At Nigerian Code Of Conduct Tribunal As Two Chairman Lay Claim To Office
Mr Danladi Umar has continued to act as chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) despite a subsisting order from the Nigerian Senate ordering his removal.
In November, the Senate removed Danladi Umar, over alleged gross misconduct. This decision was made under Section 157(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended), which empowers the Senate to remove key public officials following due process.
The sacking followed a closed-door session lasting over one and a half hours.
Upon resumption of plenary, the Senate announced that more than 84 lawmakers supported the decision.
However, CCT officials who spoke to Daily Trust claimed the embattled chairman, Danladi Umar and the newly appointed chairman, Mainasara Kogo, are laying claim to its chairmanship.
It was learnt that the due had officially visited and held discussions with tribunal staff without any clear directive on who is in charge.
President Bola Tinubu had on July 13 appointed Kogo as the new chairman of CCT the same day he announced Omolola Oloworaran as the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom).
Although the staff complained about the lull in the work of the tribunal since the controversy over Umar’s removal began, it was observed that corruption cases involving public servants are still being taken with several charges listed on the course list either for trial or arraignment.
However, senior staff of the tribunal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust that they are confused about who to work with as both men have spoken with them and they are only civil servants who obey instructions.
“We are civil servants and we believe we can work with anyone that comes,” a staff said.
“We have not seen any letter to the effect of these changes. We believe there is a procedure for the removal and appointment of a new chairman of the CCT.
“We know that the president and the two arms of government have made pronouncements but we don’t know if invisible hands are working on these but we know there is a process,” he added.
One of the officials said the process is for the appointee to go through the screening by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), who recommends to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and then to the President, who approves and forwards to the Senate for confirmation.
The senior official said there has been a pile of unattended files arising from a lack of clarity on the chairmanship of the tribunal.
“He came today and left and the entire judiciary is now on holiday so we have taken the liberty to adjourn all the outstanding cases to January,” the witness said.
However, a former staff of the tribunal, who pleaded anonymity, criticised Umar for visiting the office after his removal.
“Why is he still coming to work seeking to sign some documents and approve payments to contractors?”
He said Umar’s visits were illegal as he was no longer the chairman of the commission.
After the presidential announcement removing Umar, both the Senate and the House of Representatives in separate plenaries on November 20 and 26, also endorsed his removal as CCT chairman on allegations of misconduct and corruption.
Both resolutions were hinged on Section 17 (3) Part 1, Fifth Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 2004 for the decision.
The section provides that “A person holding the office of chairman or member of the code of conduct tribunal shall not be removed from his office or appointment by the president except upon an address supported by 2/3rd majority of each house of the national assembly praying that he be so removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office in question (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body) or for misconduct or for contravention of this code.”
The legal dispute over Umar’s tenure is being tested in a suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja by the Community Rescue Initiative, Toro Concerned Citizens and Relief Foundation, who are contending that by the provisions of sections 1(1) and (3), 6(6), 153 (1) (e) & (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as Paragraph (3)(a) (vii) and (b) of the Third—Schedule thereof, the purported concurrence of both Senate and the House of Representatives was null, void, unconstitutional and of no effect whatsoever.
Monthly disbursements to the federal, states and local government areas dropped for the third consecutive time yesterday. The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) shared N1.58 trillion to the three tiers for March
The committee announced N2. 411 trillion as the total revenue generated in March at its April meeting in Abuja yesterday.
The total distributable revenue comprised N931.325 billion from statutory sources, N593.750 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), N24.971 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) and N28.711 billion from Exchange Difference revenue.
According to the communiqué issued by FAAC, the gross revenue available for March stood at N2.411 trillion. The deductions for cost of collection stood N85.376 billion, while N747.180 billion went to transfers, interventions and refunds accounted consumed.
Despite the lower net revenue available for distribution, the March statutory revenue of N1.718 trillion showed an increase of N65.422 billion over the N1.653 trillion received in February.
However, revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) dropped to N637.618 billion last month from the February figure of N654.456 billion – a decrease of N16.838 billion.
From the total distributable sum of N1.578 trillion, the federal government received N528.696 billion; states collectively got N530.448 billion, while the 774 local government areas received N387.002 billion. Additionally, N132.611 billion – representing 13 per cent of mineral revenue – was allocated to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
The breakdown of the N931.325 billion statutory revenue shows that the federal government took N422.485 billion, the states got N214.290 billion and N165.209 billion shared to the councils. The oil-producing states received N129.341 billion from this component as derivation revenue.
From the VAT pool of N593.750 billion, the federal government got N89.063 billion, states got N296.875 billion and the local government areas got N207.813 billion.
For the EMTL revenue of N24.971 billion, the federal government took N3.746 billion, states received N12.485 billion and local government areas went home with N8.740 billion.
In the case of Exchange Difference revenue of N28.711 billion, the federal government received N13.402 billion, states N6.798 billion and local government areas was allocated N5.241 billion. A further N3.270 billion from this revenue was distributed as 13 per cent derivation to oil-producing states.
A deeper look into the revenue trends shows that while Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and Companies Income Tax (CIT) increased significantly during the month under review, several other key sources witnessed declines.
These include Oil and Gas royalty, EMTL, VAT, Excise Duty, Import Duty, and Common External Tariff (CET) Levies.
A viral video showing several Nigerian police officers allegedly receiving N5,000 each from a Chinese man and his family has sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns over corruption and ethics in the Nigeria Police Force.
The footage, which surfaced online, shows uniformed officers lining up as a Chinese man hands them cash gifts.
The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from the public and human rights advocates, who described it as disgraceful and damaging to the image of the police.
When contacted by Vanguard, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said he was unaware of the viral video or the incident.
Similarly, the Lagos State Police Command distanced itself from the footage. Its spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, clarified that the incident did not occur in Lagos, contrary to claims circulating online.
Public figures have also weighed in. Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), described the video as “shameful” and called for the removal of the IGP.
“This is why I keep saying illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun must leave the police force. It is the shame of the nation,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Popular social commentator and human rights activist Martins Victor Otse, also known as VeryDarkBlackMan, called the act “disgraceful, disrespectful, and degrading,” urging the police leadership to address the matter transparently.
The incident has intensified calls for accountability, with many Nigerians demanding disciplinary action and systemic reforms to restore public confidence in the police force.
The Federal Government has declared Friday, April 18, and Monday, April 21, 2025, as public holidays to mark Good Friday and Easter Monday.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Tuesday.
He emphasised the importance of embodying the virtues of the sacrifice and love displayed by Jesus Christ, who had to die for the redemption of man, while greeting Christians on the joyous occasion.
In a statement by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the minister called on Nigerians to use the holiday period to pray for the peace, unity, and stability of the nation.
He reassured citizens of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to foster national growth and development.
“Furthermore, he encouraged Nigerians to extend love and goodwill to their neighbours through acts of kindness and generosity.
“The minister wished all Christians a blissful Easter celebration and extended warm holiday greetings to all Nigerians,” the statement added.
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