President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday announced Dr. Mainasara Umar Kogo as the new Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
There are reports that appointment of Dr. Kogo is totally conflict with the position of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
The Network gathered that news of Kogo’s latest appointment by Tinubu was communicated in a letter dated January 20, 2025, signed by Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The effective date of the appointment was also backdated to November 27, 2024, raising further concerns about whether constitutional procedures were followed.
The appointment comes seven months after erstwhile Special Adviser to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, announced in July 2024 that Dr. Mainasara Kogo would assume the role, even though the tenure of the substantive chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, had not yet expired due to retirement age.
The National Assembly’s attempt to remove Justice Umar when it named someone else allegedly at the directive of the Presidency, also became a subject of litigation before Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
In the lawsuit, President Tinubu, Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio were named as defendants and submitted their respective defence statements.