Aggrieved staff of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) have reaffirmed their allegations of misconduct against the tribunal’s chairman, Mainasara Umar Ibrahim Kogo, accusing him of attempting to mislead the public and conceal key details surrounding the controversy.
In a fresh statement, the workers said they stand by earlier claims made against the chairman, insisting that his response to the allegations has only raised more questions. They alleged that new issues, including possible document alteration and forgery, emerged shortly after the matter became public.
One of the major points of dispute is the alleged appointment of the chairman’s wife. The staff rejected his claim that she was mistakenly employed without his knowledge, arguing that the power to recruit staff lies with the tribunal’s leadership.
According to them, the chairman personally oversaw the recruitment of dozens of staff members, making it unlikely that such an appointment could have happened without his approval. They also claimed that his wife has remained on the payroll since mid-2025 and continued to receive salaries, contrary to his assertion that she was asked to resign shortly after being hired.
The workers further alleged that after the issue became public, efforts were made to backdate documents to suggest her resignation had been approved earlier. They described this as a serious breach that could amount to record manipulation.
In addition, the staff questioned the recruitment process itself, claiming it did not follow due process or involve the Federal Character Commission as required. They alleged that the exercise disproportionately favoured individuals from the chairman’s region, including relatives and close associates.
Another issue raised was the appointment of a finance director who is reportedly under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). While the chairman defended the decision on the basis of presumption of innocence, the staff argued that placing someone under investigation in such a sensitive role raises serious concerns.
They also dismissed the chairman’s claim that he was unaware of an internal memo about missing official files, stating that a document of that nature could not have been issued without his knowledge.
Overall, the staff maintained that the allegations point to deeper issues within the tribunal and called for proper scrutiny, insisting that the matter should not be swept aside.
