Following condemnations and criticisms from the public, including a
petition to the United Nations, the Nigerian Senate has made a volte-face,
agreeing to stand-down the amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Act.
The controversial bill sponsored by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is seeking
amongst other things to whittle down the investigative powers of the Code
of Conduct Bureau, CCB, and the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.
The introduction of the Bill has generated a lot of condemnation and
criticism from the public.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), had petitioned
Professor Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and
Human Rights asking him to request the National Assembly of Nigeria,
specifically the Senate, to withdraw amendments to the CCB and CCT Act.
SERAP said if the amendments are allowed to scale through, it would
seriously weaken the act, undermine the fight against corruption in the
country, exacerbate extreme poverty and violations of internationally
recognised human rights.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) described the amendment as a legislative
ambush capable of scuttling Senate President Bukola Saraki’s trial.
In a statement, entitled: “A Dangerous Amendment” by its President,
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the congress said Nigerians believed that the
amendment was aimed at scuttling the trial.
The NLC said while the intention of the Senate might be noble and in line
with their legislative function, the timing of the amendment calls to
question the real intentions of the upper house.
The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) urged the Senate to halt the
desecration of the upper chamber of the National Assembly with the
amendment.
The TMG, in a statement in Abuja yesterday by its Chairman, Ibrahim
Zikirullahi, said the amendment showed the level of desperation and the
despicable extent to which legislators were willing to descend.
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce confirmed on his twitter handle @benmurraybruce
the decision of the Senate. He said “Today, rising from our meeting, the
senate has decided in one voice, to stand-down the amendment of the CCT
act.
No official statement has been issued from the Senate on why it decided to
stand-down the Bill