Alleged Corruption: Again, Reps Postpone Petition Hearing Against CCT Chairman

For the second time, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Public Petitions probing corruption allegations against the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, has again postponed investigative hearing over the petitioner’s inability to make its proofs available.

However, the petitioner, Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), represented by Mr. Lekan Salami at yesterday’s sitting asked the committee to further grant the group additional one week grace for them to provide the needed documents and for its executive chairman to appear in person for explanations.

Recall that last week Wednesday being the first day of the hearing, the group failed to appear, prompting the committee to adjourn to yesterday. The next hearing will be next week Tuesday.

“Mr chairman, we want to request the committee to extend this hearing until next week when the documents we were asked to provide by the clerk of the committee would be ready, and also the executive chairman would be around in person to brief the committee,” Salami had requested.

Responding, the committee chairman, Hon. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, said it was not the culture of the committee to allow a case to linger on over excuses from one party or the other, and therefore sought the CCT chairman’s response over his accuser’s request.

Justice Umar, who spent more than two hours waiting before the lawmakers arrived for the sitting, then took time to consult with members of his encourage and requested the committee to abandon the case, saying the petitioner was not serious about the matter

“We have respect for this institution. We have tight schedules in office and we have many cases in office. It appears that they are not serious about the case.

“Last week we came here, and today, we have been here since 11:30am. I implore the House to consider this petition abandoned,” Umar said.

The committee’s chairman however pleaded with the CCT judge to make time and appear before the committee again at the next sitting despite his tight schedules for the purpose of fairness to the petitioner.

“Ordinarily, it should be considered abandoned. But for the reason of clarity and fairness, I will crave your indulgence to come back on Tuesday, despite your tight schedule. The matter would be taken or the case stand abandoned,” he said.