The Senate has commenced investigation into allegation of assault by Chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar. Umar, in a viral video, was seen beating one Clement Sargwak at the popular Banex Shopping Plaza in Abuja.
Senator Istifanus Gyang (PDP, Plateau State) who presented a petition on the issue to the Senate on behalf of Sargwak, informed the Upper Chamber that the CCT chairman subjected Sagwak to thorough beating and even inflicted injuries on him. Sargwak is from Gyang’s senatorial district in Plateau State.
When Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, sought to know if the matter was already before any court of law and was informed to the contrary, the petition was immediately referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions for investigation.
The committee was given four weeks within which to conclude its investigation and submit report. The Senate had, in the past, conducted many investigations on the conduct of public officers, including a former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
ALSO, yesterday, the Senate received a request from President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation of the appointment of Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi as substantive chief judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. Abdullahi has been serving as acting chief judge.
Buhari’s request, which was contained in a letter, was made known to the lawmakers during plenary by Lawan. The president said the request was made
“Pursuant to Section 256(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).”The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, had in January 2021 sworn-in Justice Abdullahi as acting CJ of FCT High Court. This was sequel to retirement of Justice Ishaq Bello as CJ.
Abdullahi, who hails from Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, was called to Bar in 1984. He was in active law practice between 1985 and 1989. He became the Chief Registrar of FCT High Court, Abuja in 1997 and was appointed as a judge in the FCT High Court, Abuja in 1998. Justice Abdullahi is also the Chairman of FCT Judicial Service Committee.
