In a bid to strengthen oversight functions, President Bola Tinubu has nominated three new members to fill vacancies on the board of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). The announcement was made in a formal letter addressed to the Senate President.
The nominees, as confirmed by a statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, are: Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle from Oyo State, Kennedy Ikpeme from Cross River, and Justice Ibrahim Buba, a retired judge of the Federal High Court.
The Code of Conduct Bureau, established in 1979, plays a crucial role in ensuring integrity within the public service and enforcing adherence to the country’s ethical standards. The Bureau is overseen by a 10-member board.
On October 23, 2024, President Tinubu swore in Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello as the chairman of the board. The current board members also include Barr. Muritala Aliyu Kankia, Hon. E.J. Agbomayinma, Barr. Ben Umeano, and Prof. Juwayriyya Badamasiuy, along with Bulus I. Zephaniah and Hon. Abdulsalam Taofiq Olawale.
This development follows recent efforts by both the Senate and House of Representatives to remove Umar Danladi as chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) due to allegations of corruption and misconduct.
On Wednesday, the Senate, led by Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, invoked Section 157(1) of the Nigerian Constitution as the legal basis for the resolution to remove Danladi. However, the Senate later admitted to a procedural error, acknowledging that the section invoked pertained to the removal of specific public officials, not the CCT chairman.
During plenary, Senate Leader Bamidele clarified the mistake and called for the resolution to be corrected. He recommended that the Senate adopt the correct legal references, namely Section 17(3) of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22(3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 2004. Under Section 17(3), the Senate and the House of Representatives must pass a joint resolution with a two-thirds majority to advise the President on the removal of certain public officials.
“The Senate mistakenly based its resolution on Section 157(1), which is not applicable 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 2004. This correction is necessary for the resolution to have legal effect,” Bamidele stated.
The Senate unanimously agreed to amend the resolution, and the House of Representatives has also concurred. As a result, the two chambers have formally advised President Tinubu to remove Danladi from office in light of the corruption and misconduct allegations.
