The Nigerian Senate took a bold step on Thursday by finally passing the Code of Conduct amendment bill, 2016.
The amendment included – altering the tenure of office of the chairman and members of the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Here are nine major adjustments made the CCT Act by the Nigerian Senate today:
1.Tenure of CCB Chairman altered from serving until 70years to ONLY one term of five years, renewable by only one term. Entry age left at 50
2. Relocating the power to exercise authority over the CCB from President to the National Assembly.
3. Extending powers of AGF to prosecute to private legal practitioners to enable CCB to prosecute it’s cases.
4. National Assembly (no longer President) will now have the powers to confer any additional powers (if need be) on CCB.
5. A minimum of 3 out of 5 members of the CCT must sit at all times to be deemed to have formed a quorum.
6. All nominated CCT members are now to be subject to screening and confirmation by the Senate.
7.To enable cases of exception under the CCB Act to be handled by the National Assembly instead of the President.
8. Provisions of Evidence Act (2011) are now to apply to the CCT where crime is an issue.
9. Accused persons concerned in a case before CCB shall be given opportunity to make a written admission of any breach or non-compliance and where such written admission is made, there shall be no reference to the CCT
