The Senate yesterday commenced the probe of the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Justice Umar Danladi, over his alleged involvement in N10 million fraud between 2013 and 2014, just as the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, charged the probe Committee to submit its reports in two weeks.
It will be noted that Saraki is currently standing trial before Umar’s led CCT over a 13-count charge of alleged false declaration of assets which was contained in the form he filled as Governor of Kwara State, at the Code of Conduct Bureau, in 2003.
However, the petition against Umar on the alleged corrupt practices as Chairman of CCT was laid before the senate yesterday by Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP Ebonyi Central) and referred to its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions for immediate investigation.
Ogba explained that the petition was signed by one Ajaso Ajaso, on behalf of a group, Anti Corruption Network.
He also said that the petitioners had not sought judicial remedy against Umar, but seeking senate intervention to probe the corrupt allegations contained in the document.
Saraki consequently referred the petition to the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions and asked the chairman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, to carry out a thorough investigation and report back in two weeks.
When contacted after plenary, to get details of the petition, the committee chairman said details of the petition would be made public next week when the committee meets.
It will be recalled that a group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, on Tuesday last week, petitioned the two chambers of the National Assembly, demanding an immediate probe of an alleged N10 million bribery scandal involving the CCT chairman.
HURIWA’s petition was signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and addressed to Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara.
The group noted that the EFCC had started an investigation into the alleged bribery allegations leveled against Umar and his Personal Assistant, Ali Gambo Abdullahi, concerning the alleged N10 million fraud.
HURIWA clarified that as a Civil Society Group whose main objective is advocacy and protection of human rights in Nigeria, the immediate probe of the CCT boss would send a strong signal to those still doubting President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti corruption war.
The petition reads in part, “We write to bring to your attention for further investigation and necessary action a report of likely conspiracy by the EFCC, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and I the Code of Conduct Tribunal to remove the Senate President from Office using the instrumentality of their public offices to achieve their aims.
The group alleged that the EFCC, through the CCT, launched a counter attack on Saraki, following the decision of the senate to probe the former chairman of the anti – graft agency, Lamorde sometimes in August this year.
According to the petition, “The Senate recently launched an investigation against the activities of the Chairman of the EFCC. The EFCC as a counter attack, initiated and launched the prosecution of the Senate President as a retaliatory measure using the offices of the Attorney General of the Federation and a highly compromised Code of Conduct Tribunal to achieve their aim of removing the Senate President from office.
“The EFCC is aware that a compromised Code of Conduct Tribunal will always do its bidding because it has already concluded investigation into an N10 million bribery allegation against the Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar and his personal assistant, Ali Gambo Abdullahi.”
The group further alleged that the former Attorney.
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