Reps consolidate NASS plans to hijack CCB, CCT

The House of Representatives on Tuesday halted the moves to revisit the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act amendment passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

The House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, had asked for a suspension of the rules of the House to revisit the amendment.

Citing section 1 (3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, Mr. Gbajabiamila said the 1999 Constitution (as amended) prevailed over any ambiguity in any Act especially as the Senate was trying to harmonize the CCT Act.

“The House has been a house of the people and we have never been detached from the opinions of the public.

“It is not under your leadership or our membership that the house will lose its integrity.

“When we discover that the clauses are infractions of the Constitution, we should put our breaks and reconsider it.”

Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Rivers), however, moved a counter-point of order, citing order 9 rule 6.

He said it was impossible to revisit a resolution passed by the house and concurred by the Senate, except if the right processes were followed.

Ruling on the matter, the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, said: “It should be fixed on notice so everyone will be prepared and we will have ample time for it.

“For us to suspend it, it’s like an ambush.”

The amendment to Section 3 of the Act is as follows:

“Upon complaint(s) of any breach or where it appears to the bureau that there is a breach of the provision of this Act, the person concerned shall be given particulars of such noncompliance or breaches to explain before any reference to the tribunal.”

This implies that the CCB cannot immediately refer a matter to the CCT without giving a public officer notice; one of the contentions of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Section 1 (4) was expunged and was replaced with “the chairman and members shall serve for a term of five years subject to renewal for one further term only”.

Section 4 (2) was amended to substitute the word “president” with “the National Assembly” as the one to confer powers on the bureau and the tribunal.