Monday, February 17, 2025
-4.8 C
Tallinn

Tinubu Skips NJC, Appoints New CCT Chairman

Agency Report –

President Bola Tinubu has once again bypassed the constitutional mandates of the National Judicial Council, NJC, and the Federal Judicial Service Commission, FJSC, by unilaterally appointing Dr. Mainasara Umar-Kogo as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.

PRNigeria reports that Mr Kogo’s latest appointment by the president was communicated in a letter dated January 20, 2025, signed by Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF.

The effective date of the appointment was also backdated to November 27, 2024, raising further concerns about transparency and whether constitutional procedures were followed.

The appointment comes seven months after former presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, announced in July 2024 that Mr Kogo would assume the role, even though the tenure of the substantive Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, had not yet expired due to retirement age.

The move was widely criticised as unconstitutional and illegal.

The National Assembly’s attempt to remove Justice Danladi Umar, where they erroneously named someone else allegedly at the directive of the Presidency, also became the subject of litigation before Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

In the lawsuit, President Tinubu, Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio were named defendants and submitted their respective defence statements, making any further action subjudice.

Several renowned legal experts and Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, including Professor Mamman Lawan Yusufari, former Dean of the Faculty of Law at Bayero University Kano; Professor Yemi Akinseye George, Executive Director of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies; and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Dr. Wahab Shittu, had strongly criticised the government’s actions as unconstitutional.

They argued that Paragraph 15 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution stipulates the pivotal roles of the NJC and FJSC in appointing the Chairman and members of the CCT.

According to the constitution, the FJSC is responsible for nominating candidates for these positions, while the NJC evaluates and recommends suitable candidates to the President for appointment.

The legal practitioners also emphasized that the National Assembly has no powers to sack a judicial officer, expressing concern that senior lawyers in the legislature could undermine the rule of law.

Consequently, they have advised the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to alert President Tinubu to the irregularity, emphasizing that the government’s action in appointing the CCT Chairman is illegal.

When contacted by PRNigeria, Dr Festus Akande, spokesperson of the Supreme Court, stated that he was unaware of any meeting between the NJC and FJSC regarding the appointment of a new CCT Chairman, as he was on annual leave.

Justice Danladi Umar has presided over high-profile cases involving national assembly leadership, governors, and top judicial officers.

Notably, he discharged, though not acquitted, then-opposition leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of false declaration of assets and operation of foreign accounts in 2012 despite external pressures.

It has been speculated that Tinubu’s prosecution at the tribunal was an attempt to block his presidential ambition, given that Section 137(1)(e) of the Constitution states: “A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if, within a period of less than ten years before the date of the election, he has been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or has been found guilty of contravening the Code of Conduct.”

The controversy surrounding Mr Kogo’s appointment has raised fear of dictatorship and concerns about the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and respecting the Constitution.

SourcePRNigeria

Hot this week

Op-Ed: Binance chief’s cheap lies against Ribadu, by Jaafar Jaafar

Tigran Gambaryan (forgive my copy and paste), the head...

WAEC releases 2024 WASSCE private candidates’ results

Agency Report - The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has...

Stoltenberg succeeds Heusgen at MSC

Agency Report - Munich  – Veteran German diplomat Christoph Heusgen received...

Police intervene between opposing protests after Munich car attack

Agency Report - Munich  – Police intervened in a counter-protest...

Latest

Op-Ed: Binance chief’s cheap lies against Ribadu, by Jaafar Jaafar

Tigran Gambaryan (forgive my copy and paste), the head...

WAEC releases 2024 WASSCE private candidates’ results

Agency Report - The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has...

Stoltenberg succeeds Heusgen at MSC

Agency Report - Munich  – Veteran German diplomat Christoph Heusgen received...

Police intervene between opposing protests after Munich car attack

Agency Report - Munich  – Police intervened in a counter-protest...

Bayern hopeful Kimmich will make a decision about his future soon

Agency Report - Leverkusen, Germany  - After clarifying the future of...

Aggregate German savings high, but many have none at all

Agency Report - Frankfurt  – Aggregate German household wealth may have...

Demonstrators mark attack in German city of Hanau five years on

Agency Report - Hanau, Germany  - About 1,000 people demonstrated in...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Section

spot_imgspot_img

MORE FROM CHATNEWSTV

Police Arrest Chidimma Adetshina’s Mother

South African authorities have arrested Anabela Rungo, Chidimma Adetshina, the 2024 Miss Universe Nigeria’s mother. The beauty Queen’s mother is being accused of fraudulently obtaining...

N2.5bn: Court Acquits Former NBC DG

A federal high court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted Ishaq Kawu, former director-general of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), of fraud allegations. Kawu was...

Ohio Aircraft Parts Supplier, Three Employees Indicted for Illegal Exports to Russia

CINCINNATI (CHATNEWSTV) — An Ohio-based supplier of aircraft parts and three of its current and former employees have been federally indicted for allegedly conspiring...

Two Estonian Nationals Plead Guilty in $577M Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme

SEATTLE (CHATNEWSTV) — Two Estonian nationals pleaded guilty Wednesday to operating a massive cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of thousands of people worldwide,...

Court adjourns Ganduje, wife, others’ case

Agency Report - A Kano State High Court adjourned until April 15, hearing in all pending preliminary objections in the ongoing case of alleged bribery...

German top court rules on extradition of conscientious objector

Agency Report - Conscientious objection to military service does not necessarily constitute an obstacle to criminal extradition proceedings, Germany's top court ruled on Wednesday. According to...

German ex-soldier arrested in Ukraine over accusations of rape

Agency Report - Nuremberg, Germany  - A former soldier with the German armed forces has been arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of three counts of rape...

Why Justice Nyako can’t decide Nnamdi Kanu’s case – Lawyer Ejimakor

The lead Counsel of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Aloy Ejimakor on Monday explained why Justice Binta Nyako of...

Police release Tiktoker, SeaKing

The Nigeria Police has released Tiktoker, Olumide Ogunsanwo aka SeaKing on administrative bail. SeaKing, a content creator was arrested for insulting the general Overseer of...