The Nigerian Senate has officially removed Danladi Umar, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), from office following a two-thirds majority vote in favor of the resolution.
The motion for his removal was sponsored by Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, citing constitutional provisions under Section 157(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Bamidele outlined several allegations against Umar, stating, “The Senate has received numerous petitions and allegations of corruption and misconduct against the Chairman. This prompted the 9th Senate to invite him for a series of investigative hearings through the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.”
Additional accusations included absenteeism from office for over a month without proper authorization or recusal, which further fueled concerns about his conduct. Bamidele also noted that these issues led President Bola Tinubu to nominate Abdullahi Usman Bello as Umar’s replacement.
During the plenary session, Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio presented the motion for a vote. Out of 109 Senators, 74 voted in favor of Umar's removal, while 10 opposed the motion.
The Senate subsequently passed a resolution to remove Umar from his position, and Akpabio directed the Clerk of the Senate to formally communicate the decision to the presidency in compliance with legal procedures.
The removal marks a significant step in addressing allegations of misconduct within the Nigerian judiciary system, with lawmakers reaffirming their commitment to upholding accountability and integrity.
