The Senate on Monday, vowed to invoke parliamentary sanctions against any head of Federal Government agencies which had been indicted for financial infractions in the report submitted to the National Assembly by the Auditor General for the Federation.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, Senator Garba Madoki, gave the warning at a one-day workshop in Abuja.

Madoki lamented the rate at which heads of the MDAs have been shunning Senate summons and warned that further disregard for the resolutions of the red chamber would no longer be tolerated.

He said, “We are going to be very strict on the report of the Auditor General for the Federation. We are taking notes of those items.

“In the very short while, measures are going to be taken against everybody who refused to comply with Senate resolutions on the matter.

“Where compliance is not done, I can guarantee you that actions will be taken against whoever is infringing on those reports.”

The AuGF had a few months ago expressed concerns over irregularities and weaknesses in financial regulations across ministries, departments and agencies of government, especially in the disbursement and utilisation of public funds.

The AuGF noted that transparency and accountability in government financial management systems could not be over-emphasised, particularly given the country’s rapidly dwindling revenues as well as its impact on an annual budget.

The Auditor General, in his latest annual report on the financial conduct of public institutions, currently before the two chambers of the National Assembly, had revealed that a total sum of N105.66bn had been expended by MDAs in breach of extant rules and regulations.

The report stated that N18.36bn had been awarded for contracts without regard to the Public Procurement Act.

The AuGF also expressed concern over the persistent inherent weaknesses in the system despite his previous recommendations to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as the Accountant General of the Federation for prompt actions.

However, the Chairman of the Senate Legislative Compliance Panel said, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts is already dealing with the AuGF report.

He said, “We will take this job seriously. And where sanctions are required, we will not hesitate to sanction any MDA that violates the laws of this country, either inadvertently or willfully.”

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in his speech read on the occasion by his deputy, Jibrin Barau, also said the 10th National Assembly would not take it easy with any head of the MDAs who flout its resolutions.

He said, “As representatives of the people, one of our core mandates is to ensure that the resolutions and laws passed by the legislature are implemented effectively.

“This task is not just about oversight; it is about ensuring that the aspirations of Nigerians, as articulated through their representatives, are translated into meaningful action and positive outcomes.

“Legislative compliance is critical to the success of governance. Without it, the effectiveness of the National Assembly is undermined, public trust in government is eroded, and the development agenda is stalled.

“Our responsibility goes beyond enacting laws—it extends to ensuring their implementation by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, and holding those who fail to comply accountable.”

The acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Kamoru Ogunlana, said legislative compliance was not merely a legal framework but the backbone of good governance.

He said, “ It ensures that our laws are not just enacted but are effectively implemented and respected throughout our society,

“Through robust legislative processes and compliance mechanisms, we can enhance citizen trust and confidence in our institutions, paving the way for sustainable development and social justice.”

The Senate on Wednesday sacked Danladi Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, saying monumental misconduct in office was the reason.

On the issue, the Nigerian Bar Association and Chief Adegboyega Awolomo (SAN), counsel for ex-Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, which Umar sacked in 2019, said the Senate’s decision could not be faulted.

Reacting to the development, the NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), said, “The Constitution says that the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal can be removed by the two-thirds of the Senate, so if the Senate has passed through this process and the President accepts it, then they will remove him. If the constitutional provision for his removal is being followed, then that is okay. It means that the initial announcement that the President removed him is not correct, that the President is now following the constitutionally stipulated procedure for his removal.

“Since the Senate has removed him, that means they have evidence which maybe they considered in their close session to recommend his removal. So, the moment the constitutionally stipulated procedure is being followed one may not be able to question it.”

Also commenting, counsel for Justice Onnoghen, Awomolo, said, “I leave him (Umar) to God and his conscience. May the Lord forgive him.”

The Senate’s decision sacking Umar was made pursuant to Section 157(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended), which empowers the Senate to remove key public officials following due process.

The sacking followed a closed-door session lasting over one and a half hours.

Upon resumption of plenary, the Senate announced that more than 84 lawmakers supported the decision.

The motion leading to Umar’s removal was sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who highlighted the pivotal role of the Code of Conduct Tribunal in maintaining high standards of morality and accountability in government.

Bamidele stated, “The Code of Conduct Tribunal, as a statutory institution, is expected to uphold virtues of integrity, probity, and accountability.

“However, Mr. Yakubu Danladi Umar’s conduct has fallen short of these requisite standards for a public officer entrusted with such responsibilities.”

He added that a statutory institution of such magnitude was expected to epitomise moral rectitude and “should be seen to uphold the virtues of integrity, probity, and accountability.”

“However, the conduct of M Yakubu Panladi Umar, who is the chairman of the tribunal, has fallen short of the requisite standard of a public officer to conduct the affairs of such tribunal.”

He added, “The Senate has been inundated with a series of petitions and allegations of corruption/misconduct against the chairman, a situation that necessitated the 9th Senate, through the Senate Committee on Ethics Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, to invite him to a series of its investigative hearings in order to unravel the circumstances surrounding those allegations.

“However, he appeared before the committee only once and thereafter avoided subsequent invitations.”

The Senate Leader added that the Senate was also concerned “about his (Umar’s) alleged absenteeism from office far more than one month, without permission and recuse to his position, coupled with preponderance of corruption allegation, misappropriation, and physical street brawl with a security man in the FCT vis-à-vis his current investigation by the EFCC, ICPC and the DSS.

“All these are tantamount to acts of negligence and gross misconduct, unbecoming of a chairman of such reputable tribunal.”

The Senate had previously summoned Umar to appear before its Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions during the 9th Assembly. While he appeared once, he failed to honour subsequent invitations.

The Senate Leader also referenced the recent confirmation of Abdullahi Usman Bello as the new Chairman of the the CCT.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had forwarded Bello’s nomination to the Senate, which was confirmed during the plenary on July 4, 2024.

Section 157(1) of the Constitution stipulates that “The President may remove the Chairman or any member of the Code of Conduct Bureau, acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate, for inability to discharge the functions of the office or for misconduct.”

The Senate resolved that invoking this provision was necessary to protect the Tribunal’s integrity and ensure its continued status as a symbol of corporate governance in Nigeria.

Bamidele said the decision underscored the commitment of the 10th Senate to uphold the rule of law and maintain public trust in critical government institutions.

Although enshrined in the Constitution, this is the first time since 1999 that the Senate will be invoking a section in the Constitution to remove any head of statutory agency from office.

Umar, as the CCT Chairman, spearheaded the controversial trial and conviction of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, for alleged false assets declaration.

He ordered Onnoghen’s removal by President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the freezing of Onnoghen’s bank accounts.

However, the Court of Appeal, in a recent verdict, overturned the decision and ordered the return of Onnoghen’s frozen accounts, in addition to other reliefs contained in an out-of-court settlement between the ex-CJN and the Federal Government.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, on Wednesday, alleged that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, took N20bn from the state treasury to fund his campaign for last Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

But in a swift reaction, the ruling party refuted the claim, describing it as false and baseless.

In an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday,  Director General of the PDP Campaign Council, Dr Eddy Olafeso, claimed that Aiyedatiwa took N20bn from the state coffers and allegedly used it to buy votes, inducing voters with N10,000 each.

But the Director of Media and Publicity for the ruling All Progressives Congress in Ondo, Steve Otaloro, rubbished the claim, describing it as a fallacy.

Reflecting on why the PDP lost the Saturday election to the APC, Olafeso said, “It was money politics. It was vote-buying that assumed a new dimension, that is unheard of, that somebody will lay online almost N20bn of state money for an election, apart from the criminality and the distortion that it can bring about, the people have been entirely very pauperised.

“It’s obvious now that they are using poverty as a weapon for election manipulations and that’s exactly what transpired here in Ondo State. The criminality involved is exactly what we are investigating.

“The reality is how can you be smart to the point of, as a member of the opposition, rake in almost N20bn for an election and you know it runs contrary to the whole electoral process? We didn’t distribute money for people to vote for us.

“Forty-eight hours to this election, if you are a resident in Ondo State, you know whom the people wanted to vote for until the money influence and, in this extreme poverty, N10,000 means a lot, a world to so many people.”

But reacting to the allegation, the Ondo APC spokesman, Otaloro said the party was open to scrutiny of the source of its campaign funds.

Otaloro said, “All these allegations are false and misleading. The funding for our campaign was transparent and in line with electoral regulations. We didn’t use any government funds for our campaign, and we’re confident that our financial records will withstand any scrutiny.

“Our campaign was funded through a combination of donations from party members, supporters, and well-wishers, as well as fundraising events and activities. We also received funding from our party’s national headquarters, which is permissible under the Electoral Act.

“We’re committed to transparency and accountability in our campaign financing, and we’re willing to cooperate with any investigation or inquiry into our financial records.”