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Senate Reopens CCT Chairman's Case, Says He Can't Fool Legislature

Nancy Okafor

Oct 20, 2022

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Senate Reopens CCT Chairman's Case, Says He Can't Fool Legislature
Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Wednesday declared that the chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Mr. Danladi Umar can not continue to fool the legislature and has therefore reopened the case of assault levelled against him

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The CCT chairman was seen in a viral video, allegedly assaulting one Clement Sargwak at the Bannex Plaza in Wuse 2, on March 29, 2021.

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https://youtu.be/JeewmskB0ug

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In seeking redress, the victim, filed a petition against Umar through his lawyers to the Senate committee to investigate the matter.

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Though the embattled CCT chairman had on invitation, appeared before the committee once, he shunned several other invitations thereafter .

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He informed the members through his attorneys last year that he was already in court against the investigation.

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The court gave a declarative judgment on the matter saying that the Senate had the locus standi to proceed with the case. READ HERE

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Chairman of the Senate panel, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, who addressed journalists on the matter on Wednesday, said the case against Umar had been reopened.

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He said: "There was a petition against the CCT chairman that he assaulted a young Nigerian, Clement Sargwak.

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"The Senate believes that nobody is above the law. Both the young and the old voted for us to represent their interest in the National Assembly.

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"The CCT chairman infringed on the right of a young Nigerian who had no money to approach the court, brought his petition to the Senate.

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"Rather than appearing before our Committee, Umar went to court claiming that the Senate had no right to put him on trial.

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"The Senate suspended the hearing on the matter till the outcome of the judgement. The High Court has now ruled that the Senate has the right to continue the case.

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"The Senate decided to reopen the case because it was a declarative judgment. He was to appear before us today but instead came with court papers claiming that he had appealed the judgment.

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"He has now told us through his lawyer that he will never appear before the Senate Committee because the matter is already before the Court of Appeal.

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"Danladi Umar is trying to fool the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we will never allow our name to be dragged in the mud.

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"Umar has a lot of things to hide, he does not want to face the Press because he knows that he has infringed on the rights of a Nigerian.

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"Instead of apologising to the victims and his family, and possibly settled the bills of their lawyers, he believes that he could use his position to suppress justice. We will never allow it."

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Umar had included in the suit as stated in the originating summons dated 13th July, 2021, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions as well as the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

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In the suit with file no FHC/ABJ/ CS/671/2021, Umar challenged the "Senate's Constitutional power to conduct investigation and purpose for which it is exercisable."

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Specifically, the embattled CCT chairman is asking the court to interprete the constitutional powers granted the Senate or House Committees on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions whether it covers public assaults which as averred by his attorneys, are part of the constitutional functions of the Police and the courts of law.

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Copies of the originating summons and suit signed by Sunday Edward (Esq) and other Attorneys from Abuka and Partners on behalf of Danladi Umar, listed him as the plaintiff.

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The document also listed the Senate, the President of the Senate, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions and the Attorney General of the Federation as defendants.

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Umar asked the court to interprete the powers of the four defendants to investigate the case of assault in question.

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In the summons, the Judge asked the court to determine among others:

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"Whether the purported case of assault which allegedly took place at Banex Plaza on 29th March, 2021, forms part of the matters the 1st defendant is constitutionally empowered to investigate.

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"Whether the 1st defendant and its committee, that is, the 3rd defendant, are competent to investigate and/or invite the plaintiff in relation to the investigation of the allegation of assault levelled against him.

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"Whether the powers of the 1st defendant to conduct investigation are not by and / or subject to provisions of sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and are not exercisable for the purposes of making law and exposing corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution of administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by the 1st defendant, and

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"Whether the 1st defendant's move to conduct investigative hearing on the petition before it is not unconstitutional and does not amount to an unwarranted usurpation of the functions of the Police and of the courts of competent jurisdiction."

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Danladi then asked the court to stop the Senate from conducting further investigative hearing, as the alleged victim (Clement Sargwak), had been sued.

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— Nancy Okafor

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