By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
The Plateau Democratic Movement, a political pressure group, has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over the alleged irregular removal of the Chairman of the Investments and Securities Tribunal, Amos Azi.
The group urged the ICPC to investigate what it described as alleged abuse of office and the circumstances surrounding the emergence of Barrister Aminu Junaidu as chairman of the tribunal.
The petition, signed by the PDM Chairman, Ishaya Turba, and Secretary, Iliya Mangai, was addressed to the ICPC Chairman and made available to journalists on Friday.
The group questioned an alleged directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for Junaidu to assume control of the tribunal.
PDM said Azi was appointed chairman by President Bola Tinubu and subsequently reappointed for a second term on August 13, 2025.
The group, however, alleged that Junaidu emerged as chairman shortly after Azi’s reappointment.
PDM said the development was particularly concerning given the ICPC’s reported efforts to uncover alleged fictitious agencies and purportedly fake chief executives operating under the SGF’s office.
“We believe the issue of fake appointment and fake agencies is related to what recently happened at the IST,” the group alleged.
It called for an urgent and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Junaidu’s emergence and his reported assumption of control of the tribunal on October 2, 2025.
According to PDM, the Investments and Securities Tribunal is a statutory body established to resolve disputes arising from Nigeria’s capital market.
It said the tribunal must therefore be headed and administered strictly in accordance with its enabling legislation.
The group warned that any alleged irregularity in the leadership of the tribunal could affect public confidence, the rule of law and the credibility of Nigeria’s capital-market regulatory framework.
“This development immediately raised serious concerns because the statutory framework governing the appointment of the chairman of the tribunal is specifically prescribed in the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025,” the group said.
The petition was copied to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Minister of Finance and the Senate Committee on Capital Market.
Others copied were the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
Azi was first appointed Chairman of the Investments and Securities Tribunal on July 17, 2020.
He was subsequently reappointed by President Tinubu for a second term on August 13, 2025.