Amendment of CCT/CCB Act: NLC warns Senate over attempts to stop Saraki's trial
Mon Apr 18, 2016 11:54:am National
3.1K By sosa hills
The Nigeria labour Congress (NLC) has cautioned the Senate to stop its plan to conclude amendment of the Act establishing the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), saying that the timing is suspicious and fraught with danger.
This was made known in a statement yesterday signed by NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba.
He noted that the upper chamber had in the past one week, initiated a process for the amendment of the Act establishing the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
It observed that Senate cited as reasons for the amendment, the need to give every public officer (appearing before the tribunal) a fair hearing, justice and equity in line with the provisions of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the need to remove from political control, the two bodies which now play a critical role in the administration of criminal justice system.
The statement further said that in furtherance of its objective, the Senate fast tracked the process of this amendment via two readings (first and second) within 48 hours, adding that it has also set in motion the process for removing the jurisdictional powers of CCT on criminal matters via the amendment of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act.
It argued that in consideration of the fact that sometimes in most climes, corruption trials are triggered by reasons other than corruption, it makes a lot of sense to create legislations that guarantee fair trial and justice for the accused, adding that legislative amendments are part of the constitutional functions or duties of the National Assembly.
"We at the Nigeria Labour Congress hold the view that the noble intention of the Senate not withstanding, the timing is suspect and fraught with danger. It is quite intriguing that it took the trial of the Senate President for the Senate to discover these flaws in the law.
This was made known in a statement yesterday signed by NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba.
He noted that the upper chamber had in the past one week, initiated a process for the amendment of the Act establishing the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
It observed that Senate cited as reasons for the amendment, the need to give every public officer (appearing before the tribunal) a fair hearing, justice and equity in line with the provisions of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the need to remove from political control, the two bodies which now play a critical role in the administration of criminal justice system.
The statement further said that in furtherance of its objective, the Senate fast tracked the process of this amendment via two readings (first and second) within 48 hours, adding that it has also set in motion the process for removing the jurisdictional powers of CCT on criminal matters via the amendment of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act.
It argued that in consideration of the fact that sometimes in most climes, corruption trials are triggered by reasons other than corruption, it makes a lot of sense to create legislations that guarantee fair trial and justice for the accused, adding that legislative amendments are part of the constitutional functions or duties of the National Assembly.
"We at the Nigeria Labour Congress hold the view that the noble intention of the Senate not withstanding, the timing is suspect and fraught with danger. It is quite intriguing that it took the trial of the Senate President for the Senate to discover these flaws in the law.
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