Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has written the Speaker of the House of Representative, Honourable Yakubu Dogara urging him not to get involved in the amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal act.
In a letter addressed to Dogara, he said his attention was drawn to moves by the national assembly to amend the CCT act.
Read the letter below:
Our attention has been drawn to the ongoing moves by both chambers of the National Assembly to amend the Code of Conduct and Code of Conduct Tribunal Act (Cap. C15) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”). Although the House of Representatives has not commenced deliberations on the Bill for the amendment of the Act the Senate passed it for the second last week, barely 48 hours after its presentation by its sponsor, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.
In view of the ongoing trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal over the alleged failure to declare his assets the hasty move to amend the Act is insensitive, suspicious, self serving and opportunistic. It is also illegal and unconstitutional in several respects. Firstly, to the extent that the proposed amendment is designed to self the interests of an individual it is a violation of section 4(2) of the Constitution which has empowered the National Assembly to make laws “for the peace, order and good government of the Federation or any part thereof…”
Secondly, notwithstanding that the Senate President has decided not to preside over the plenary in the Senate whenever the bill is being debated the whole exercise is a clear violation of paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers enshrined in Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution which stipulates that “A …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
