Tribunal dismisses asset declaration cases against ex-Abuja councillors

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has dismissed three cases against former Kuje Area Council ward councillors in Abuja over alleged breaches in asset declaration.

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) had filed the suits, claiming the councillors failed to submit their asset declaration forms within 90 days of leaving office.

However, the defendants argued that they had submitted the forms, but the CCB refused to collect them, citing elapsed time.

The CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, flanked by other tribunal members, Agwadza W. Atedze and Juliet A. Anobor, ruled in favour of the defendants, stating that the issue was not non-submission but rather timely submission.

The tribunal, on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, stressed that the CCB should have collected and verified the forms instead of declining them.

It also noted that there’s a distinction between failure to submit entirely and failure to submit within the stipulated time, adding that the CCB should have allowed the defendants to explain their late submission before prosecuting them.

Tribunal orders ex-Senator Afikuyomi to vacate Abuja property

The tribunal also ordered the defendants, within seven clear days of the judgement, to proceed to the nearer CCB office to declare their assets as required by law.

Violation of the order by the defendant, according to Justice Danladi, shall be considered serious with severe criminal sanctions by the tribunal.

The tribunal stated that the key issue was not a complete failure to submit the forms, but rather the timing of the submissions.

It noted that the CCB did not accept the forms to review them, which could have allowed for necessary verifications before pursuing prosecution.

The tribunal, according to PRNigeria, stressed that the CCB’s actions were premature, as they did not permit the councillors to explain any delays.

It was gathered that the judgement involved complaints from the CCB about three former councillors who allegedly did not declare their assets upon leaving office.

The CCB claimed the councillors failed to return their asset declaration forms on time. However, the defendants argued they had submitted the forms, but CCB officials either rejected them or refused to collect them due to missed deadlines.

The Star