ABUJA – Serving senators of the Federal Republic yesterday underscored their commitments to freeing their principal, Senate President Bukola Saraki from the claws of Code of Conduct Tribunal, when they approved proposals to commence removal of possible stings from the case.
The second Bill that is going almost simultaneously is a Bill For An Act To Amend Administration of Criminal Justice, aimed at removing powers of criminal proceedings from Tribunals including the CCT.
Christened A Bill For An Act To Amend The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) And Tribunal, it was first mentioned Tuesday (12/04/16), and was given an accelerated hearing yesterday, as Deputy Senate President Ike Ekwerenmadu presided over the plenary.
No senator spoke against the bill and there was no dissenting voice when the question was put.
In his lead debate, the sponsor of the Bill, Sen. Peter Nwoboshi (Delta North) explained that the amendment being sought is to redraft section 3(d) of the CCT Act, to give every Public Officer appearing before the CCB fair hearing provided for under S.36(2)(a) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended).
“It provides for an opportunity for the person whose rights and obligations may be affected to make representations to the administering authority before that authority makes the decision affecting that person”, he continued.
Sen. Saraki who is currently standing trial on a 13-count criminal charges has complained that he was not given fair hearing by the CCB before his arraingement at the Tribunal.
Senators who contributed chorused their support for the proposed amendments.
Sen. Dino Melaye (Kogi West) “it is clear that the CCT has delved into criminal prosecution and the act
Section 3b stipulates that before a prosecution can start, the person in question would have to be communicated and he must respond to the Bureau; after investigation by the bureau then they will transfer for prosecution.
It is stipulates that you must have a minimum of three judge before they can sit, but as it is today, we have two judges yet trial is ongoing: when the two judges takes different position, what happens? This amendment is justified and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Sen. Jubrin Barau: I am supporting this bill because of the issue of equity.
Biodun Olujimi: We are licences as senators to look at Acts and Laws to se how we can make them better: there is no doubt that this act needs amendment.
We do not want the act to be used inconclusively, this is a straight forward thing, it should go to the committee and we conclude.
Sen. Bukar Abba: I rise to totally support this amendment and I align with my colleagues who have spoken about it, it is short and straight forward.
Sen. Yahaya Abdulahi: I rise to raise a point of caution, I have gone through the areas of the amendment, what I am against is the timing, we must be wary about public perception about the position of the senate
The Nigerian people could perceive this to mean that we did not challenge this act, until now that our principal office is standing trial.
I have nothing against this amendment because it brings fairness: if I am being treated the way our principal officer is being treated it would not be good; but for the credibility of this senate I think we should re-examine the timing of this.
Sen. Ibrahim Gobir Sokoto East
I support, it is timely: this bill has nothing to do with the CCT case because the trial has commenced, if you look at the last clause of the bill,
This bill will not affect the proceedings at the code of conduct tribunal. We should not be afraid to do the job which the constitution has given us.
We support the CCB abd the CCT but we must make sure that in doing their work, there must be fairness and respect of human rights.
We must at all times be courageous to do our work.
This was thereafter referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary, and Ethics, to report back in two weeks.
