The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions on Wednesday, December 9, rejected a request by Justice Danladi Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, to drop corruption charges investigation against him, Vanguard reports.
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At the resumed sitting of the committee, Umar urged the Uzoma Nkem- Abonta’s committee to drop the investigation, as the petitioner was surprisingly absent at the sitting.
According to Umar, the petitioner, a non-governmental organisation, Anti-Corruption Network looks to have abandoned the case against him.
He said: “As a matter of fact, we have great respect for this institution that is why we have been here all these while.
“We do really have tight schedule of work in our office, including judgements and administrative works to do.
“So, we implore this honourable House to consider this petition abandoned because if they are serious they would have been here.”
But in a swift response, the Nkem-Abonta’s committee said: “We reasoned with you, ordinarily it should be deemed abandoned if the anti-corruption group fail to appear but we cannot do that now.”
Justice Danladi Umar urge rep to drop corruption charges against him
The Nkem-Abonta’s committee after consulting with the members however deplored the failure of the petitioner to appear and present his brief.
He threatened to sanction the petitioner if he failed to appear at the next hearing, saying: “We seriously take exception to this attitude because justice delayed is justice denied.
“We have no reason to drag man or group of individuals on frivolous excuses.
“We must all have regards for the people that appear; we should understand that others are busy and must be working.
“We are pursuing an era of change where impunity is no longer the order of the day and people must take responsibility for their liability and actions.”
Earlier, Olusegun Abereoran, director of operations for Anti-Corruption Network, had pleaded for additional seven days to enable the executive secretary of the organisation to prepare the brief as demanded by the committee.
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The House of Representatives had received a petition against the CCT chairman from a non- Anti-Corruption Network which Rima Shawulu Kwewum (PDP, Taraba) presented a petition on behalf of the group at plenary on Tuesday, November 10.
According to Kwewum, the ex-attorney-general of the federation had recommended the arrest and prosecution of two persons over alleged corruption.
He noted that in compliance with the recommendations of the then attorney-general, Ali Gambo Abdullahi was arrested and prosecuted, while Justice Danladi Umar was not arrested for no given reason.
“The petitioner is now seeking the House to wade into the matter with a view to seeing that the second person, Mr Umar, is immediately arrested and made to face the law in compliance with the recommendations of the former attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice,” he said.
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