Opposition to Nigeria’s Senate’s attempt to amend the the Code of Conduct Bureau and Code of Conduct Tribunal law got a boost recently with the latest condemnation coming from the Lagos Secretariat Mosque, Ikeja.

SENATE CHAMBER

While delivering the Jum’at sermon titled “Change Your Focus”, Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr Abdulhakeem Abdullateef described the attempt by the Senate to amend the laws as a shame.

The Senate, presided over by Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu, hastily passed the Code of Conduct Bureau Act (CCBA) and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) amendment bills through the second readings in just three days, the fastest in recent history of the Eight Assembly.

The bills, already forwarded to the Senate Judiciary Committee for review, are expected to be returned to the Senate in two weeks.

Senator Yahaya Abdullahi had cautioned the Senate to be “mindful” of public perception due to wrong timing of the amendment bills, initiated by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and supported by Senators Dino Melaye, Sam Anyanwu, Biodun Olujimi who all said, “the time is right”.

Dr Abdullateef warned the Senators to be wary of their actions, saying success in the amendments will still amount to nothing.

“You can see how shameful the action was, with the exception of few ones that walked out. Lawmakers wanted to change the law because of one person. What a shame! If you change the Code of Conduct Tribunal law, does that change anything”, he queried.

Citing the case of those that resigned from public offices abroad because of their indictment in the Panama papers, the Commissioner urged Nigerians facing corruption cases, irrespective of their status to emulate such and allow the Rule of Law to take its due course. “In fact, there is a cabal taking every step to make nonsense of what President Muhammad Buhari is doing. You will not win, Only Allah will win.”

“If you focus only on enriching yourselves, then you have a wrong focus. Look at the end of those who did that in the past. It is destruction, they didn’t get it”, he warned. Dr AbdulLateef asked Nigerians to be grateful to Allah for restoring the glory and image of the country even as he enjoined citizens to be patience with the present government.