CCT ACT: Senate Suspends Amendments Amidst Pressures

THE SENATE yesterday bowed to high pressures mounted by Nigerians and civil society organisations (CSOs) over its purported amendments of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Act as well as the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to favour the embattled President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki who is facing charges for false and failure to declare his assets in line with the laws.

Rising from a rowdy two-and-half-hour executive session, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, disclosed that after an exhaustive deliberation, the Senate resolved to suspend further amendments of both Acts among other crucial issues.

“After exhaustive deliberations and being sincere to ourselves, we have decided to put behind us all things that have divided us since the inception of the Eighth Senate and work as a united Senate in the best interest of our country.

“We also agreed to suspend the discussion of the Committee on Ethics report on Senator Marafa. We agreed to suspend further deliberations on the amendment of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and the Criminal Administration of Justice Act.

“We agreed that this Senate should stand by the Senate president in his trial until proven guilty by the court in accordance with our constitution and democratic practices all over the world including South Africa, Brazil and Russia.

“We also agreed to set up a committee – two senators from each geopolitical zone to address all the remaining issues. And as part of the reconciliation, those in court should consider withdrawing the cases.

“Further to our agreement to set up the committees, the geopolitical zones have sent names of their representatives: South-south (Godswill Akpabio, James Manager); North-west (Sani Yerima, Suleiman Hunkunyi); North-east (Buka Abba, Joshua Lidani); South-east (Sam Egwu, Hope Uzodinma); North-central (Barnabas Gemade, Abdullahi Adamu); and South-west (Monsurat Sumonu, Gbenga Ashafa)”, he said.

It will be recalled that the Senate last week began the process of amending the CCB/CCT Act and ACJA by initiating two amendment bills which critics considered as irresponsible and a deliberate attempt to frustrate the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Similarly, the Senate was silent on the invitation of the Chairman of CCT, Mr. Danladi Umar by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions chaired by Senator Sam Anyanwu.
The committee had summoned Umar on Monday to appear before it today but Umar rejected the invitation believably to avert undue influence.The invitation also attracted condemnation eminent Nigerians and the Civil Societies Organisations (CSOs).