Bukola Saraki
Senate President Bukola Saraki has again failed to appear before the Nigeria Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT for a second time over allegations of false assets declaration in 2003 when he contested as governor of Kwara state. The Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB had dragged the Senate President before the CCT on a 13-count charge of false assets declaration. Joseph Daudu, lead counsel to the Senate President in his argument Monday morning prayed the CCT to adjourn sitting to allow the Appeal Court to decide on two applications before it. Saraki had approached the Appeal Court to stop the Tribunal from going on with his trial. Daudu who said the Tribunal was sitting in “incompetence”, argued that the panel was not properly constituted. He therefore urged the Justice Ahmed Mohammed led Tribunal to adjourn sitting to allow the Appeal Court decide on whether the CCT has the jurisdiction to entertain the matter. The Senate President’s Lawyer prayed the court to allow the Court of Appeal to exercise its powers on the matter before returning to the CCT for continuation of trial or otherwise. But Rotimi Jacobs, SAN representing the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF has described Daudu’s stance as contempt of court. “It is a clear contempt of Court,” he said. “Until the Court of Appeal stops your Lordship, no one can stop your Lordship” from going on with the trail, he further argued. Reacting to the argument, Justice Mohammed warned that no one should rely on issues of technicalities to derail or frustrate justice in the matter. “The quorum is duly constituted,” he said, and ordered Saraki to appear before it tomorrow morning.
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