Confusion at CCT as Umar, Kogo claim chairmanship roles

Confusion at CCT as Umar, Kogo claim chairmanship roles

There is ongoing confusion at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) as both the embattled chairman, Danladi Umar, and the newly appointed chairman, Mainasara Kogo, are claiming leadership of the tribunal.

Inquiries have revealed that both individuals have visited the tribunal and met with staff, but no clear directive has been issued regarding who is officially in charge.

On July 13, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Kogo as the new chairman of the CCT, the same day he announced Omolola Oloworaran as the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

Despite complaints from staff about a slowdown in tribunal activities since the controversy surrounding Umar’s removal, corruption cases involving public servants continue, with several charges either pending trial or arraignment.

However, senior tribunal staff, speaking anonymously, expressed confusion about whom they should be working with, as both Umar and Kogo have been in contact with them. These staff members, as civil servants, stated that they are simply following instructions and have not received any official communication regarding the leadership change. “We are civil servants, and we believe we can work with whoever comes,” one staff member said.

READ ALSO: Reps remove Umar as CCT chairman without two-thirds majority

“We haven’t seen any letter confirming these changes. We know there is a procedure for the removal and appointment of a new chairman,” they added.

According to the staff, the process involves the appointee being screened by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), which then recommends the individual to the National Judicial Council (NJC). After that, the president approves the appointment and forwards it to the Senate for confirmation.

The lack of clarity regarding the chairmanship has resulted in a backlog of cases. One senior staff member explained that, due to the uncertainty about who is in charge, they have adjourned all outstanding cases to January. “He came today and left, and with the judiciary now on holiday, we’ve decided to adjourn the pending cases,” they said.

A former CCT staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, criticized Umar for continuing to visit the office after what they consider his legitimate removal. “Why is he still coming to the office, trying to sign documents and approve payments to contractors?” the former staff member asked. They argued that Umar’s visits were illegal, as he was no longer the chairman.

After the president’s announcement of Umar’s removal, both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed resolutions on November 20 and 26, respectively, endorsing his dismissal on grounds of misconduct and corruption.

These resolutions were based on Section 17(3) of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22(3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 2004. The constitutional provision states that a chairman or member of the CCT can only be removed by the president with the support of a two-thirds majority of both houses of the National Assembly, due to either incapacity or misconduct.

The legal dispute surrounding Umar’s removal is currently under examination in a Federal High Court in Abuja. The plaintiffs, including the Community Rescue Initiative, Toro Concerned Citizens, and Relief Foundation, argue that the resolutions from the Senate and House of Representatives were unconstitutional and should be considered null and void.

Legal experts have raised concerns about the processes that have led to the leadership confusion at the CCT. Sunusi Musa (SAN) pointed out that the president did not announce Umar’s removal as required by the constitution, which mandates that such a removal be preceded by a two-thirds majority resolution in both houses of the National Assembly. Musa also questioned the legitimacy of Kogo’s appointment, noting that there has been no formal announcement from the NJC following Umar’s removal.

Dayo Akinlaja (SAN) echoed this sentiment, stating that if Kogo has not received a formal appointment letter, his appointment cannot be considered valid or binding.

Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at NeptunePrime.

Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va74ZvU2v1IqKByXoX3d

Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com