APC group calls for suspension of CCB, CCT chairmen

In response to the recent suspension of government officials by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, a faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) known as the Progressive Foundational Movement (PFM) has demanded the immediate suspension of the chairmen of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) due to alleged inefficiencies.

The APC group claims that these two agencies have grossly failed in the fight against corruption over the past four years, particularly highlighting the Code of Conduct Bureau, where the Chairman, Isah Mohammed, has allegedly failed to prosecute a single individual before the Code of Conduct Tribunal during his tenure.

Aganaba Johnson, the National Coordinator of the Progressive Foundational Movement, released a statement on Thursday in Abuja, stating, “Isah Mohammed is inefficient and unfit to continue holding the position of CCB chairman. It is unprecedented in CCB’s history that a board member has had to petition the Chairman to the National Assembly for ineptitude and corruption. The Chairman is running the Bureau as his personal business empire without consulting the Board on any decisions he makes.”

The group further called for an investigation into allegations that the CCB chairman has been engaging in improper associations with suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emiefiele and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director Myele Kyari.

“Our President should extend his sweeping anti-corruption measures to the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal,” the statement continued. “These two agencies have demonstrated a woeful failure in the fight against corruption over the past four years, particularly the Code of Conduct Bureau, where the Chairman has not initiated a single prosecution before the Code of Conduct Tribunal during his tenure.”

“The Chairman, Isah Mohammed, is inefficient and incapable of continuing in his role at the CCB. There are over two thousand pending petitions on his desk that he has refused to investigate and prosecute. Numerous cases involve allegations of misconduct and corruption against high-ranking officials from the NNPC and CBN, yet the Chairman has neglected to assign these petitions for investigation.”

The statement also highlighted the need for an investigation into the CCB Chairman’s alleged close connections with Emiefiele and Kyari. The group contends that the Chairman’s appointment by the Minister of Justice and the influential Villa cabal has fostered a sense of impunity, similar to that seen in the suspended EFCC Chairman, Bawa.

The group provided a list of cases that they claim the CCB Chairman has neglected to investigate. These include accusations of abuse of office and corruption against suspended CBN Governor Godwin Emiefiele, allegations of abuse of office and corruption against NNPC GMD Myele Kyari, claims of abuse of office and corruption involving former MD of NDDC Effiong Akwa, allegations of abuse of office and corruption against the former Accountant General, accusations of abuse of office and corruption and non-declaration of assets against the MD and all Directors in PHCN, claims of abuse of office and corruption against the former MD of Nirsal, allegations of abuse of office and corruption against a former Minister of Aviation, accusations of abuse of office and false declaration of assets against Deputy Governor of CBN Kingsley Obiora, claims of abuse of office and corruption against the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono.

The group further added cases of abuse of office and corruption against the former Secretary of the Nigerian University Commission, allegations of abuse of office and corruption against the Permanent Secretary, Director of Procurement, and Director of Finance at the Ministry of Power, as well as claims of abuse of office against the Permanent Secretary and several Directors of the Ministry of Works, among others.

It remains to be seen how the government will respond to these allegations and the demand for the suspension of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Code of Conduct Tribunal chairmen. The Progressive Foundational Movement’s call for action has added another layer of complexity to an already challenging political landscape.