Senate summons CCT Chairman over allegations of corruption

Amidst the ongoing trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions yesterday April 18th, summoned the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, asking him to appear before it unfailing by 2pm on Thursday April 21st.

A letter sent to the CCT Chairman indicated that he was being summoned to answer questions of corruption leveled against him by an anti-corruption group, Anti Corruption Netwrk led by Senator Dino Melaye.

The summon came after the senate yesterday protested the trial proceedings of Saraki when the senate was in session. Saraki is facing 13 counts of false assets declaration and fraud before the CCT. CCT Chairman during the hearing yesterday ordered that Saraki’s trial be conducted daily.

In his reply to the senate’s protest, the CCT Chairman said the senate’s plenary can still continue without Saraki as he was the one facing trial and not the whole senate.

The anti-corruption group in its petition before the senate, alleged that Danladi withdrew N1 million from the CCT’s account in July 2011 to sponsor his own wedding. They also allege he spent N15.2 million to purchase a Toyota Prado sport utility vehicle “without following due process”.

The group is also alleging that Danladi awarded contracts for the supply of office furniture and fittings at N11.3 million in March 2011 to an engineering company and not a furniture company.

According to the group, the contract is suspicious. Danladi is to appear before the senate to answer questions bothering on these allegations.