By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Not impressed with the recent public conduct of Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Chairman, Justice Danladi Y. Umar in Abuja, a Lagos-based
Civil Society lawyer, Jiti Ogunye Esq. has advocated for the prosecution of the high-ranking public servant.
He also said that in a sane clime the CCT boss and his spokesman, one Ibraheem Al-Hassan should have been held accountable for ethnic profiling.
Speaking on Friday on Channels Television programme Sunrise Daily on the topic: ‘Public Code of Conduct’, against the backdrop of the conduct of CCT Chairman who was caught in viral video engaging in a fisticuffs with a security guard over parking space at a shopping plaza in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Ogunye condemned the action and ethnic profiling.
To add insult to an injury, the Head, Press and Public Relations of CCT, one Ibraheem Al-Hassan authored a badly written press statement in which he engaged in ethnic profiling of one of the major tribes of Nigeria, calling them names which can ignite public disturbances.
For these uncivilized actions, the respected lawyer has called for public inquiry and disciplinary actions against the CCT Chairman and his Spokesman.
According to him: “Ordinarily the CCT Chairman should have been relieved of his duty. He ought to be held to account. He should be an epitome of good conduct.
“There is no justification in engaging in fisticuffs with a security guard, shoving and injuring the security guard in the process. In fact, it’s unacceptable”, Ogunye insisted.
The Barrister-at-Law therefore said that disciplinary action should be initiated by the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), saying, “the SGF should request for report on the incident because only the President can discipline CCT Chairman”.
He said although CCT Chairman was appointed by the President on the recommendation of National Judicial Council (NJC), the CCT Chairman is not answerable to the Council.
Ogunye advised the victim, (security guard) to institute a legal action against the CCT Chairman for assault, bodily injury and arrest.
Said he: “I heard the victim was arrested and released on bail. Now the victim should ask police to prosecute CCT Chairman for assault and bodily injury. Ibraheem Al-Hassan, his spokesman should also be prosecuted for ethnic profiling”.
