PH
The Nigerian Senate on Thursday, April 14, passed the Code of Conduct act for second reading under less than 72 hours.
The bill is titled a bill for an act to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and tribunal act CAP C15 LFN 2004 and for other related matters, 2016.
The bill was sponsored by Peter Nwaoboshi representing Delta north senatorial district said it is clear that the act does not contemplate criminal trial. He said the reason is so the usage of the criminal procedure act and the criminal procedure code should not be used as a procedural template in the tribunal.
He added that he will present the amendment of the third schedule to the code of conduct bureau and tribunal rules of procedure which should be distinct rules of proceedings in the CCT.
Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy Senate president said that the bill has nothing to do with the ongoing trial of Bukola Saraki, the Senate President.
He added that the trial commenced since last year while the act was recently brought to the senate which means there is no relation. “This bill has nothing to do with the CCT because his trial has commenced.
The bill was read for the first time and scaled first reading on Tuesday, April 12 on the floor of the Senate. Although not passed yet, this is one of the fastest the Senate has taken legislative action.
It has been widely reportedly that this action was taken to evade his ongoing trial of Bukola Saraki, the Senate president, at the code of conduct tribunal (CCT).
Saraki has been charged with 13 counts of false declarations of assets while he was the governor of Kwara state.
