Nigerian Senator blasts colleagues for seeking control of Code of Conduct Bureau, Tribunal

A Nigerian senator has condemned his colleagues for appropriating to themselves the control over the two anti-graft agencies, the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, and the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.

The Bureau is mandated by law to keep and verify the asset declaration form of all public officials. The Bureau then arraigns any public official with questionable asset or asset forms before the CCT. One of such being prosecuted is Senate President Bukola Saraki who is accused of falsely declaring his asset when he was governor.

The Senate on Thursday approved a bill, already passed in the House of Representatives, to transfer control over both the CCB and the CCT from the presidency to the National Assembly.

On Sunday, Abdullahi Abubakar, representing Jigawa North West in the Senate, said the decision by his colleagues was self serving.

Mr. Abubakar made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Birninkudu.

The senator, who said he was away on oversight duties when the amendment was made, stressed that he was completely opposed to the decision.

The lawmaker said: “Laws are meant to outlive individuals not meant for individuals.”

The Senator also said the current Bill on inheritance before the Senate negates the provisions on freedom of worship, as such would not see the light of the day.

According to him, Christians and Muslims in the country are against the law.

“We are there as representatives of the people and anything that the people don’t want will not scale through.

“We will make sure that the aspirations of the people we represent are not sacrificed at the altar of a few members of the Senate.

“Even though the bill has passed second reading, I believe any law can be stepped down at any stage and this is not an exception,” Mr. Abubakar added.