Groups Sue Tinubu, AGF, Akpabio Over Removal Of CCT Chairman Danladi Umar
President Bola Tinubu, Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio are facing legal action over the alleged unlawful removal of Justice Danladi Umar as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The lawsuit, initiated by two civil society organizations – Community Rescue Initiative and Toro Concerned Citizens Relief Foundation – along with lawyer Comrade Nasir Bala, seeks to halt the transmission of the National Assembly’s resolution removing Umar from office.
The plaintiffs contend that the resolution violates the 1999 Constitution and the Code of Conduct Bureau & Tribunal Act, arguing that the due process of law was not observed. They specifically claim that Section 157(1) of the Constitution, cited by the Senate to justify Umar’s removal, does not apply to the CCT Chairman.
The suit also challenges the legality of appointing a new CCT Chairman, asserting that Umar’s removal is unconstitutional, null, and void. The plaintiffs seek court orders preventing the Clerk of the National Assembly from transmitting the resolution to the President and restraining President Tinubu from appointing a new chairman during Umar’s tenure.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court has adjourned the case to January 14, 2025. The court has directed that all legal documents be served via substituted means, including posting them on the court’s notice board, the APC secretariat, and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
