Justice Umar Danladi seeks to challenge Nigerian Senate over alleged assault probe
Story from Yakubu VENTIM, Jos
The case of Justice Danladi Umar, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), who assaulted a security guard named Clement Sargwak at Banex Plaza in Abuja on March 29, 2021, came up for a hearing Tuesday morning when all parties filed processes and adopted it today.
The CCT Chairman approached the Federal High Court 6 in Maitama, FCT Abuja on Tuesday, challenging the jurisdiction of the Nigerian Senate to investigate him for his alleged misconduct.
READ ALSO: Senate receives petition on CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, over alleged assault on guard
The four defendants in the matter are the Senate, Senate President, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, and the Attorney General of the Federation AGF.
The CCT Chairman is challenging the powers of the Senate and asking the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Senate, its members, and agents from conducting or continuing to conduct investigations into the allegations of assault levelled against him through a petition submitted to the Senate.
Specifically, the plaintiff wants the court to determine whether the alleged case of assault which took place at Banex plaza in Abuja on March 29, 2021, formed part of the matters the Senate is constitutionally empowered to investigate.
After all the legal arguments, Honourable Justice I. E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court adjourned the matter to the 26th of February 2022, for judgment.
All eyes and ears of Nigerians and the international community are keenly awaiting and watching for the outcome of this case.
The Senate adopted their processes and urged the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s claims and allow NASS to investigate him as provided in Section 88 of the Constitution.
However, counsel to the Senate, Kafayat Suleyman urged the court to dismiss the suit insisting that the Senate has the power under section 88 of the Constitution to investigate alleged misconduct by any public officer.
