ABUJA, Nigeria (CHATNEWSTV) — The House of Representatives has agreed with the Senate’s decision to remove Umar Danladi, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), over allegations of misconduct.
The resolution followed a motion introduced by Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere on Tuesday, who urged the House to act under Section 17(3) of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. Ihonvbere highlighted several accusations against Danladi, including his involvement in a public altercation with a security guard at Banex Plaza Shopping Complex in Abuja.
“Aware of the conduct of the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, who recently engaged in a public brawl with a security guard at the Banex Plaza Shopping Complex, which necessitated an invitation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions,” said Ihonvbere.
“After his first appearance, where he admitted to having been involved in the brawl, he refused to attend subsequent sittings, thereby frustrating the efforts of the Committee to investigate the allegations against him.”
In his motion, Ihonvbere emphasized that Danladi’s removal was essential to protect the integrity of the tribunal. “This seems to be the only way out to safeguard the sacred image of the Code of Conduct Tribunal,” he stated, referencing the National Assembly’s commitment to corporate governance and the rule of law.
During the session, Representative Mansur Soro raised a constitutional point of order, arguing that the procedure was flawed. He claimed that President Bola Tinubu should have formally requested the chairman’s removal from the House. However, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas dismissed the objection, ruling Soro out of order.
When the motion was brought to a vote, it passed with a clear majority.
The Senate had previously approved a similar motion, but it was initially criticized by legal experts for citing the wrong constitutional provision. The Senate had used Section 157 instead of the correct Section 17(3) of the Fifth Schedule. This error was later corrected, and the Senate followed the proper legal process to finalize Danladi’s removal.
