Reps amend CCT Act, take charge of appointing tribunal’s staff

The house of representatives has amended some sections of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

This followed a consideration of a report on the amendment of the Act, and its subsequent passage, on Tuesday.

In section 4 (2) of the amended Act, the national assembly will now be responsible for appointing members of staff of the bureau and exercise control over them, and not the president.

In the amended version,  section 3 of the Act now has a paragraph which stipulates: “Upon complaints 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 non-compliance or breaches to explain before any reference to the tribunal.”

In April, the senate had tried to amend the Act, but a public outcry forced it to abandon the exercise.

The attempt by the senate to amend the Act was seen as ploy to “influence” the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Saraki had challenged his trial at the CCT on the grounds that he was not given a chance to explain himself by the bureau before a case was filed against him at the tribunal.