Twenty-eight civil society organisations in Nigeria have risen
against the proposed amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and
Bureau Act by the Senate, according to Premium Times.
The organisations, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, alleged that the amendment was aimed at helping the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is currently undergoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for corruption and false assets declaration, escape justice.
Some of the organisations are Partners for Electoral Reform, Transition Monitoring Network, Convener of Protest to Power Forum and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre.
A bill for an amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Bureau Act scaled second reading at the Senate last Thursday, two days after it was first read.
It seeks to amend section 3 of the Act “to give every public officer appearing before the Bureau fair hearing provided for under Section 36 (2)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria1999.”
The bill, sponsored by Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP-Delta State), passed second reading and was subsequently referred to the Committees on Judiciary and Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, for further legislative action. The committees were asked to report back in two weeks.
The Senior Programme Officer of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, Kolawole Banwo, who spoke on behalf of the CSOs, said the events leading to Mr. Saraki’s trial at the CCT, as well as the negative result of various reports against him, in recent times, were reason enough for the senate president to step down and allow the course of justice prevail, rather than ‘sit tight’ and ‘attempt to frustrate his trial’.
The organisations said “It is clear that these underhand moves in the Senate are aimed at whittling down the powers of the agencies with a view to helping the senate president escape Justice.”
They said the attempts by the upper legislative chamber to amend the Act at a time its president was undergoing trial at the CCT amounted to abuse and misuse of power.
“It is clear that these underhand moves in the Senate are aimed at whittling down the powers of the agencies with a view to helping the Senate President escape Justice”, the organisations said.
“It will be recalled that in the course of the ongoing trial of Mr. Saraki at the CCT, mind blowing revelations have emerged about how the Senate President had been receiving double salaries, long after he ceased to be governor of Kwara State.”
“He is also alleged to have breached the law by keeping secrete foreign accounts in offshore tax heavens, as confirmed in the leaked Panama papers.”
“These are weighty allegations which ordinarily should have compelled Mr. Saraki to step down and use the judicial process to clear his name.”
The organisations noted that by taking a chunk of the senators with him to the tribunal anytime his trial was holding, Mr. Saraki had shown a sign of disdain and contempt for Nigerians.
The organisations, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, alleged that the amendment was aimed at helping the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is currently undergoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for corruption and false assets declaration, escape justice.
Some of the organisations are Partners for Electoral Reform, Transition Monitoring Network, Convener of Protest to Power Forum and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre.
A bill for an amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Bureau Act scaled second reading at the Senate last Thursday, two days after it was first read.
It seeks to amend section 3 of the Act “to give every public officer appearing before the Bureau fair hearing provided for under Section 36 (2)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria1999.”
The bill, sponsored by Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP-Delta State), passed second reading and was subsequently referred to the Committees on Judiciary and Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, for further legislative action. The committees were asked to report back in two weeks.
The Senior Programme Officer of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, Kolawole Banwo, who spoke on behalf of the CSOs, said the events leading to Mr. Saraki’s trial at the CCT, as well as the negative result of various reports against him, in recent times, were reason enough for the senate president to step down and allow the course of justice prevail, rather than ‘sit tight’ and ‘attempt to frustrate his trial’.
The organisations said “It is clear that these underhand moves in the Senate are aimed at whittling down the powers of the agencies with a view to helping the senate president escape Justice.”
They said the attempts by the upper legislative chamber to amend the Act at a time its president was undergoing trial at the CCT amounted to abuse and misuse of power.
“It is clear that these underhand moves in the Senate are aimed at whittling down the powers of the agencies with a view to helping the Senate President escape Justice”, the organisations said.
“It will be recalled that in the course of the ongoing trial of Mr. Saraki at the CCT, mind blowing revelations have emerged about how the Senate President had been receiving double salaries, long after he ceased to be governor of Kwara State.”
“He is also alleged to have breached the law by keeping secrete foreign accounts in offshore tax heavens, as confirmed in the leaked Panama papers.”
“These are weighty allegations which ordinarily should have compelled Mr. Saraki to step down and use the judicial process to clear his name.”
The organisations noted that by taking a chunk of the senators with him to the tribunal anytime his trial was holding, Mr. Saraki had shown a sign of disdain and contempt for Nigerians.
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