The legal team of the Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki, has vowed to send a protest letter to the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the alleged biased conduct of the chair of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar, in the trial of their client who is facing charges of false assets declaration in Abuja.

Yesterday, three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Mr. Ahmed Raji, Alhaji Mahmoud Magagi and Saka Abimbola Isah, who led the legal team of the Senate president, all staged a walkout on the conduct tribunal chairman to protest alleged bias in the trial.

A source last night said that the legal team had resolved to report the tribal chairman to the NJC.

“You just wait and see the action we will take in the next few days. We cannot continue like this in this country. The judicial body has to intervene in this matter,” the source said.

The angry lawyers, accompanied by about 100 others, withdrew their services in the prosecution of Saraki by federal government, accusing the tribunal of open bias against the number three citizen and displaying judicial rascality in handling the case.

The anger of the lawyers arose when the tribunal chairman, Mr. Umar, ruled that he would not stay the trial in spite of Saraki’s pending appeal at the Supreme Court.

Magaji, who first withdrew his services in the trial, told the tribunal point-blank that going ahead with the prosecution amounted to daring and prejudicing the Supreme Court in the pending appeal case of the Senate president.

He told the chairman that, as a senior counsel in the bar and a minister in the temple of justice, he would not wish to be part of an illegality and an affront on the apex court.

Mr. Raji, who followed suit in withdrawing from the suit, told the tribunal chairman he was setting a bad precedent by sitting on the same issue at the same time with the Supreme Court.

Raji explained that apart from the law and practice, it was the tradition of respect that when the Supreme Court had been invited into a matter, the lower court will, as a matter of tradition, allow the apex court decide the matter first before taking over.

“In my capacity as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, I have not seen where this kind of conduct will be exhibited against the apex court of the country. The action of this Code of Conduct Tribunal is an affront on the constitution and to the Supreme Court and, from my own side, I will not wish to be part of this act.

“I find it most impossible to sit down here and participate in a proceeding whose legality is being challenged at the Supreme Court.”

Earlier, both Magaji and Raji had asked the tribunal to stay proceedings pending the time the Supreme Court will make pronouncement in Saraki’s appeal in which he is challenging the legality of his trial.

They cited several authorities to buttress their arguments on the need for the tribunal to grant adjournment.

But in a ruling, the chairman of the tribunal dismissed the application for adjournment and agreed with the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) that trial should go ahead in spite of the appeal at the Supreme Court.

The tribunal chairman held that the action of the defence was a ploy to delay the trial, adding that the arguments canvassed by Saraki’s lawyers had been overtaken by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 which, he said, gave no room for delay in trial.

“It is an obvious fact that where a party wants to delay trial, the party normally rushes to the higher court, as in this case, but the intendment of the ACJA has taken care of such attitude where criminal trials are unjustly delayed. We will not allow that; we are going ahead with the trial,” he had ruled.

The tribunal, however, ran into trouble when no lawyer showed up to defend Saraki yesterday and he was then asked whether he would defend himself.

But the Senate president told the tribunal that he was trained in the medical line and not in law, and that it would be unfair to ask him to defend himself in a terrain he knew nothing about.

He pleaded for one month to enable him persuade his lawyers to come back or for him to look for alternatives but the tribunal insisted that one month was too long.

The case was subsequently adjourned till November 19 for trial.


. http://leadership.ng/news/472444/walkout-on-code-of-conduct-tribunal-sarakis-lawyers-vow-to-report-cct-chair-to-njc

This is a ploy to frustrate and intimidate the CCT Chairman.
Saraki definitely knows he is guilty of the allegations against him.
Nobody is above the Law.
It is high time Saraki submitted himself to trial and cleared his name.

NJC vs CCT

Danladi...be warned the law is no respectal of any man!

Only God can stop corruption in Nigeria.

Only God can stop corruption in Nigeria.

bensonlee770:
This is a ploy to frustrate and intimidate the CCT Chairman.
Saraki definitely knows he is guilty of the allegations against him.
Nobody is above the Law.
It is high time Saraki submitted himself to trial and cleared his name.

Nope dear!! It is called rule of law!! The stupid CCT chairman should just wait for the supreme court to adjudicate on the matters of jurisdction!! What exactly is he in a hurry for?

zenith4biz:
NJC vs CCT

The NJC is the highest judicial authourity in the country!! It can suspend any Judge from sitting including the CCT chairman.

Yeah Saraki could be guilty no doubt, but the CCT judge is not following the way it has always been with when a matter is in supreme Court, the lower court has to wait or respect the higher court. Saraki could as well lose in Supreme Court, why is CCT judge in haste?

bensonlee770:
This is a ploy to frustrate and intimidate the CCT Chairman.
Saraki definitely knows he is guilty of the allegations against him.
Nobody is above the Law.
It is high time Saraki submitted himself to trial and cleared his name.

me i don't even understand these people o

cornoil:
Yeah Saraki could be guilty no doubt, but the CCT judge is not following the way it has always been with when a matter is in supreme Court, the lower court has to wait or respect the higher court. Saraki could as well lose in Supreme Court, why is CCT judge in haste?

The CCT chairman is obviously acting out a script!! His script writers are asking him to go on with the trial as time is no longer on their side!! That man has been so unprofessional since the inception of this case!!

cornoil:
Yeah Saraki could be guilty no doubt, but the CCT judge is not following the way it has always been with when a matter is in supreme Court, the lower court has to wait or respect the higher court. Saraki could as well lose in Supreme Court, why is CCT judge in haste?

The argument is that they don't know when the Supreme court will rule hence time will be wasted but if the CCT continues with the trial, they can give a judgement and stay the judgement until the Supreme Court give judgement which is in order.

Saraki as well as 'saint' Buhari is guilty as charged. But the presumption of innocency till conviction must be upheld. I recommend that Saraki consult Akpabio on the matter and it will be a bygone.

Well though I'm not lettered in Law, but I know that it is one division that has respect for hierarchy. So if this be, it needs be honoured to avoid the thought of a judge acting on a script.

Mynd44:

The argument is that they don't know when the Supreme court will rule hence time will be wasted but if the CCT continues with the trial, they can give a judgement and stay the judgement until the Supreme Court give judgement which is in order.

There is nothing like time been wasted under the law dear!!! Judicial regulations stipulates that the CC should suspend the trial until the supreme court finally adjudicates on the matter!!!An inferior court cannot br sitting side by side with the supreme court !! That is judicial rascality of the highest order!! I hope the NJC descends heavily on the CCT chair!! We cant have such compromised men manning our benches.

We are watching

QuotaSystem:
The NL official Abokaku is back to spewing his inanities after Ameachi's confirmation that sent your shameless self underground. Can't you see your noise and support is as useless as the k in knowledge?

The minority will always have their say, while the majority have their way. The CCT chairman is in order as judgment can be given and stayed till whenever the supreme court delivers its verdict.

Continue making noise on NL while Saraki continues to hold forth as senate president!!! The CCT chairman would soon find himself in tot soup.

chukwudi44:


Nope dear!! It is called rule of law!! The stupid CCT chairman should just wait for the supreme court to adjudicate on the matters of jurisdction!! What exactly is he in a hurry for?

we know them. "This is how they do to frustrate the process"- Rotimi Jacob(SAN).

Phame:
we know them. "This is how they do to frustrate the process"- Rotimi Jacob(SAN).

It is called rule of law!! Whether justice is served in 2015 or 2020 Justice is justice!! The right thing must be done!! The NJC would soon curb the CCT's excesses!! Well done Lawyers great step.

drama everyday

Reading first... Wow today is my birthday...nairalanders pls show me love...how many likes for me

cornoil:
Yeah Saraki could be guilty no doubt, but the CCT judge is not following the way it has always been with when a matter is in supreme Court, the lower court has to wait or respect the higher court. Saraki could as well lose in Supreme Court, why is CCT judge in haste?

in which of Nigerian constitution is it written DAT cct must wait for supreme court. must we continue wit d old crook traditions

cornoil:
Yeah Saraki could be guilty no doubt, but the CCT judge is not following the way it has always been with when a matter is in supreme Court, the lower court has to wait or respect the higher court. Saraki could as well lose in Supreme Court, why is CCT judge in haste?

in which of Nigerian constitution is it written DAT cct must wait for supreme court. must we continue wit d old crook traditions. I think is high time we start doing things d right way.

News Flash: Saraki dumped you a week ago

Saraki is now a good boy (ask Ameachi), but that does not mean he won't face the full weight of the law.

Your noise has been proven to be completely inconsequential severally on this forum.....

Just ban yourself

chukwudi44:


Continue making noise on NL while Saraki continues to hold forth as senate president!!! The CCT chairman would soon find himself in tot soup.

chukwudi44:


It is called rule of law!! Whether justice is served in 2015 or 2020 Justice is justice!! The right thing must be done!! The NJC would soon curb the CCT's excesses!! Well done Lawyers great step.

You are seriously fraustrating me,i'm feeling like locking or beating you up

I don't know if the cct chairman is acting out a script or if the rule of law is really applicable but want am sure is that saraki is obviously afraid because he knows where this case will certainly end (guilty).... And seriously it high time we stop been fan of this political stunts and drama, it is the future of this country they are manipulating and we get little or nothing (either direct or indirect) from this political thief. What I expect is that we youth (so call leader of tomorrow) should cry for justice and stop being a fan of evil doers like this #bokoharam_is_not_as evil_as_this_guys

Worthless effort

chukwudi44:


Nope dear!! It is called rule of law!! The stupid CCT chairman should just wait for the supreme court to adjudicate on the matters of jurisdction!! What exactly is he in a hurry for?

He need not wait according to S305 of the New ACJA .. Saraki's lawyers are just being cunning

retepmurt:
Only God can stop corruption in Nigeria.

....only human being can stop corruption in Nigeria.

If only they would fight for the common man with such conviction, this country would have been like paradise

chukwudi44:


There is nothing like time been wasted under the law dear!!! Judicial regulations stipulates that the CC should suspend the trial until the supreme court finally adjudicates on the matter!!!An inferior court cannot br sitting side by side with the supreme court !! That is judicial rascality of the highest order!! I hope the NJC descends heavily on the CCT chair!! We cant have such compromised men manning our benches.

Judicial authorities and seniority usually make a lower court step aside while a matter is being appealed at a higher court but that as changed as only the reading of the judgement can be suspended according to S305 of the ACJA