Nigerian lawmakers hasten controversial bill to amend anti-corruption law

On Thursday, a  bill for an amendment of code of Conduct Tribunal and Bureau Act passed its second reading at Senate, immediately 48 hours after its first reading.  The bill was sponsored by Peter Nwaoboshi of  PDP  Delta State and this is reported to be one of the bills that has received fast legislative action in Nigerian lawmaking process. Report from Premium Times has it that the bill seeks to amend section 3 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Bureau Act "to give every public officer appearing (before the ) Bureau fair hearing provided for under section 36 (2) (a) of the CFRN 1999 which provides:  " for an opportunity for the person whose rights and obligations may be affected to make representations to the administering authority before that authority makes the decision affecting that person." Mr Nwaoboshi's argument has it that the existing law does not have provision for the Bureau, CCB  to receive written statement from affected public officers before taking a matter of alleged non-compliance to the Tribunal, CCT.