The House of Representatives has concurred with the Senate on the removal of Umar Danladi, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). The decision was reached during Tuesday’s plenary following a motion presented by Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere, invoking Section 17(3) of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
Ihonvbere cited allegations of misconduct against Umar, including his involvement in a public altercation with a security guard at Banex Plaza in Abuja. Despite initially appearing before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions to address the allegations, Umar failed to attend subsequent hearings, obstructing the investigation.
In his motion, Ihonvbere emphasized that Umar’s removal was necessary to preserve the integrity of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and uphold the rule of law, consistent with the 10th National Assembly’s commitment to good governance.
The motion faced a procedural challenge when Mansur Soro argued that President Bola Tinubu should have submitted a formal request for the CCT chairman’s removal. However, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas ruled the objection out of order, and the motion was adopted by a majority vote.
This follows a similar resolution by the Senate, which initially erred in citing Section 157 of the Constitution instead of the correct Section 17(3) of the Fifth Schedule. The Senate later rectified the mistake, paving the way for the House to finalize Umar’s removal.
The joint resolution marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s legislative history, as both chambers take a united stand to ensure accountability and uphold ethical standards within key institutions.
