The development, coming on the heels of the ongoing trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is being seen by some lawmakers as part of the strategies of the Senate President’s loyalists to stall what they see as political persecution.
The amendment to the Code of Conduct Act, sponsored by Senator Peter Nwaboshi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) passed the first reading on Tuesday.
The bill tagged: “Code of Conduct Act Cap C15 LFN 2004 (Ammendment) Bill 2016 (HB.2),” is seeking to remove the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) from the Presidency, while placing it under the direct control of the Judiciary.
Another bill, which passed through the first reading is the amendment to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, was sponsored by Senator Isa Misau, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Bauchi Central.
The CCT is relying on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, to prosecute Senate President Bukola Saraki in the ongoing trial.
Senator Nwaboshi, who spoke on the bill on Tuesday, said the amendment was aimed at freeing the CCT from executive control.
He said: “We want to save Nigerians from over-zealous politicians. The Code of Conduct Tribunal and the Code of Conduct Bureau now is under the Office of the Secretary to the Government.
“The Secretary to the Federal Government is a politician and can use it as a politician against political opponents or perceived political opponents. He oversees the CCB and the CCT, they report to his office
“So since the Supreme Court, in its judgment, has said that CCT is a court of some sort, it must be seen to be neutral in nature and not to report to a politician.”
The Delta senator said the amendment intended to free the quasi-judicial organ from control of the executive arm of government.
He further said: “The CCT chairman should not be reporting to a politician and being oversighted by a politician: it should be seen as an independent body, doing its job, we give them what they are entitled to.”
According to him, if the amendment was not introduced and seen through immediately, the executive, through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF ) use the CCB to put any of its perceived enemy in trouble.
He further said: “So to make it to be really neutral and independent, we are trying to save Nigerians, any politician that could be dragged to CCT whenever he steps on the toes of the SGF.
“The intent is not because of what is happening (to Saraki), it is because we want to save Nigerians,. We want Nigerians to see that you cannot put a quasi judicial arm under the control of the SGF who is a politician, appointed by the President, doing political job, then you put him in charge.
“The CCB said you declare your assets upon assumption of office and when you are leaving office, you declare your assets.
“Within the time you came to office and the time you are leaving office, they must have investigated that your asset, what is left is to investigate the asset declared when leaving office.
“You do not just leave it for 100 years, then all of a sudden, someone wakes up and says: 56 years ago, you did not declare your assets, that should not be so.
“You have been given a time frame to declare at the beginning and at the end, but within the four years, the CCB does not conduct its investigations immediately, but takes another 15 years.
“Who said that someone cannot stand up tomorrow when President Buhari leaves office and says that he did not declare his assets at a particular time.
“The court has said it made a mistake in (Asiwaju Bola) Tinubu’s case which means that another political party can come up tomorrow and pick up Tinubu.
“Do you now see the patriotism in what I am doing? There should be a time frame, not when you wake up any day, you just slam anybody.
“I am doing this as a patriotic Nigerian to make sure this body is not used as a political weapon to witch-hunt your political opponents or an individual.”
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