On 600 stagnated corruption cases at CCT
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), conceived in 1979 and codified in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is meant to play a pivotal role in battling corruption and in enforcing ethical standards among public servants. Notable among the cases the CCT handles are asset declaration, to detect unexplained wealth and discourage […]
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), conceived in 1979 and codified in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is meant to play a pivotal role in battling corruption and in enforcing ethical standards among public servants. Notable among the cases the CCT handles are asset declaration, to detect unexplained wealth and discourage officials from using public office for personal enrichment. It is also empowered to effectively compare pre- and post-tenure asset declarations, to make it easier for the authorities to identify suspicious financial growth. The Constitution mandates all public officials to submit a written declaration of their assets, liabilities, and those of their spouses and unmarried children under 18 to the CCB within three months of taking office.
Also, the CCT is empowered to try public officials for abuse of office, where such persons engage in acts like inflation of contract sums, violation of procurement law, engaging in bribery and corruption, living a flamboyant lifestyle beyond their income, inefficiency or deliberate negligence in service delivery, staff maltreatment or intimidation, and the like. The third major code of conduct is avoidance of conflict of interest. It prohibits issues like awarding contracts to a company public officials own or have shares in; using insider government information for personal gain; influencing decisions that benefit family or associates; accepting gifts or benefits that could sway official judgment. This is put in place to preserve impartiality and integrity in public service; prevent corruption and favouritism; and ensure decisions are made in the public interest.
From the foregoing, it is apparent that the CCT was established to play a significant role in tackling corruption. It is vested with the burden of sanitising the public service. The tribunal has the power to impose sanctions on public officials who err. The punishments include removal from office, disqualification from holding public office, and forfeiture of assets acquired unlawfully. However, a recent report by the Centre for Media, Policy and Accountability (CMPA) has revealed that judicial bottlenecks have prevented the CCT from resolving hundreds of corruption cases before it.
The report says: “Over 600 corruption cases remained unresolved at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), with high-profile trials stagnating for years due to procedural delays and political interference.” The CCT’s inability to carry out its assignment defeats anti-corruption objectives and strategies that have been funded by successive governments since 1999.
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The perception of Nigeria as a corrupt country is known globally. The CCT, if it has functioned effectively, would have tackled many public officials who flagrantly abuse the code of conduct and rub ill-got wealth on the face of the ordinary Nigerian.
That as many as 600 cases at the CCT remain unresolved shows the agency faces existential challenges that the government must tackle without delay. The government cannot set up a body to fight the cankerworm of corruption, which is eating up the country, and allow it to remain idle, and to wither and die. A Chatham House report in August 2025 clearly identifies corruption as a major problem facing Nigeria. It says: “Corruption continues to be a defining feature of Nigeria’s governance, public administration and political life, hindering its full potential and global standing. At its core, corruption diverts public resources away from vital sectors such as education, healthcare and infrastructure, fuelling poverty and inequality. More than half of all Nigerians – approximately 54 per cent – live in poverty.” This comment about corruption in Nigeria is not fictional; it depicts the extent of corruption in Nigeria, it also depicts its debilitating consequences on the common man.
If this government is determined to fight corruption, it must unshackle the CCT and give it the liberty and resources to operate as a truly anti-corruption agency. The first step is to reduce the level of political interference in the organisation’s work. Most of the time, when top public officials come under the scrutiny of the CCT, the Executive or Legislature intervenes and persuades the CCT to disregard such allegations or delay action. This is a disservice to Nigerians who are negatively affected by the criminal acts of corrupt public officials.
Other issue that must be dealt with is the jurisdictional conflict between CCT and other anti-corruption agencies, like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau. The activities of these agencies overlap, and provide an opportunity for suspects to use legal means to escape trial at the CCT. Also, the CCT lacks sufficient financial resources to carry out investigations, prosecutions and even administrative functions. The CCT staff embedded in government agencies to expose corruption or as whistleblowers are poorly remunerated for the responsibilities given to them.
The large and mounting number of cases pending at the CCT is evidence of the rampant corruption in our public service sector. The National Assembly and the Executive must unchain the agency and provide it with the resources to fight corruption. A crippled anti-corruption agency is a license to public officials to engage in unconscionable looting of the country’s commonwealth – without consequences.