Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Tuesday.
To the amazement of the lawmakers, Umar’s counsel, Barrister Toluwa Odekhe presented two originating summons to inform the Committee that the alleged assault on Clement Sagwak in March was already before the Court.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure dismissed the originating summons as fruitless ambush and gave Umar up till July 27 to appear before it or risk issuance of a warrant of arrest against him.
Checks revealed that Umar had appeared once before the Committee which summoned him on the strength of petition forwarded to it by Clement Sagwak’s lawyer, Barrister Timzing Ramnal.
Speaking before the Committee last April, the CCT Chairman had pleaded for time to study the petition and prepare his defence.
On Tuesday, counsel to Danladi Umar, however, told the Committee that the matter is already in court and has two originating summons to that effect.
“Distinguished Chairman of this committee and other members, I most respectfully on behalf of my client, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal ( CCT), inform you that the matter scheduled for discussion here, is already in court and any move to continue any form of proceedings on it, is subjudice.”
Senator Akinyelure cautioned against the move to frustrate the Committee from continuing with its investigation which he noted has the backing of provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
Akinyelure who is the Chairman of the panel maintained that no arm of government can stop another arm from doing its constitutionally assigned mandate.
“From repeated excuses of indisposition given within the last two months, you are now coming up with subjudice to frustrate the Committee from forging ahead with the investigation on assault your client visited on another fellow Nigerian.
“This committee will not be cowed by the purported originating summons because none of the parties went to court before it started its investigation on petition bordering on assaults.
“Therefore, Danladi Umar, wherever you are on your sickbed, you must appear before this Committee in two weeks time unfailingly to avoid invocation of section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution which borders on the warrant of arrest.’
Another member of the Committee, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele spoke in a similar vein.
Opeyemi who incidentally is Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters said the embattled CCT Chairman acted in bad faith.
“Your client, the CCT Chairman himself appeared before this committee at the first summon and begged for time to study the petition filed against him by the innocent Nigerian he alleged assaulted here in Abuja in March.
“Thereafter, it has been excused upon excuses on alleged indisposition for non-appearance of your client before this Committee within the last two months, only for you to come up with purported originating summons from the court today.
“This is an unacceptable and clear case of ambushing the committee from carrying out its legitimate assignment which had been on before the hurried resort to the court of law.
“Justice must not be denied the petitioner just because he is an ordinary Nigerian since the laws of the land are for everybody and not just for those in high places.
“Tell your client to as ruled by this Committee Chairman, to appear before the Committee unfailingly in two weeks time.”
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