The Nigerian Senate has acknowledged an error in its previous resolution advising President Bola Tinubu to remove Umar Danladi as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over allegations of corruption and misconduct. Despite the mistake, the Senate maintained that it still stands by its decision to recommend Danladi’s removal.
Last Wednesday, the Senate, led by Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, invoked Section 157(1) of the Nigerian Constitution as the legal basis for its resolution. However, this section pertains to the removal of certain public officials, not the CCT Chairman, which prompted the Senate to reassess its legal reference.
During Tuesday’s plenary, Bamidele admitted the error and called for the resolution to be corrected by adopting the proper legal provisions. He explained that the relevant sections to support the resolution were Section 17(3) of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22(3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act of 2004.
Section 17(3) stipulates that the Senate and the House of Representatives must jointly pass an address, with a two-thirds majority, to advise the President on the removal of certain public officers. Bamidele also emphasized the necessity of the House of Representatives’ concurrence for the resolution to have legal effect.
“The Senate mistakenly based its resolution on Section 157(1), which does not apply to the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The correct provisions are Section 17(3) of the Constitution and Section 22(3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act of 2004. We must amend this for the resolution to be legally binding,” Bamidele explained.
The Senate unanimously agreed to Bamidele’s motion to correct the error and amend the resolution accordingly.
The resolution, now supported by the House of Representatives, formally advises President Tinubu to remove Umar Danladi from office over the allegations of corruption and misconduct.
