The Senate has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, over his continuous absence before the lawmakers.
The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions is investigating the CCT boss.
Umar was accused if assaulting one Clement Sagwak in March this year.
But the CCT Chairman has refused to appear before the Committee to give explanation on the issue.
The CCT Chairman however surprised the lawmakers as he attempted to stop the probe into the alleged assault against him by the Senate with an originating summons from the court.
At the session on Tuesday, Umar’s lawyer, Toluwa Odekhe, told the committee that the matter was in court and had two originating summons to that effect.
Odekhe said: “I most respectfully on behalf of my client, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, inform you that the matter scheduled for discussion here is already in court and any move to continue any form of proceedings on it is subjudice.”
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, replied him that his action was a clear ambush which would not work as no arm of government could stop another arm from doing its constitutionally mandated work.
Akinyelure said: “This committee will not be cowed by the purported originating summons because none of the parties went to court before it started its investigation on petition bordering on assaults
“Therefore, Danladi Umar, wherever you are, on your sick bed, you must appear before this committee in two weeks time unfailingly to avoid invocation of section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, which borders on warrant of arrest.”
A member of the committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, accused Umar’s lawyer of acting in bad faith.
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