So-called forgery case against me is another wanton abuse of the judicial process- Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki, has described the allegations of forgery of senate standing order leveled against him and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu by the Federal government as another wanton abuse of the judicial process and making a mockery of the institution of justice.

In a statement released by his special adviser on media and publicity, Yusuf Olaniyonu yesterday June 22nd, Saraki said some people were trying to implicate him in keeping with their declared vow to ensure that even if their current efforts to nail him through the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) fails, they would find other ways to carry out their vendetta.

CCT: Bank documents against Saraki burnt in GTB- Witness says

As the trial of the senate president Bukola Saraki continues at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the prosecution witness and an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Michael Wetkas, yesterday, told the tribunal that part of the financial documents indicting Saraki for money laundering had been destroyed in a fire incident at Guaranty Trust Banks, one of the banks said to have been used by Saraki.

The Senate, CCT and the politics of Saraki’s trial By Reuben Abati

The present Senate serving the Nigerian people runs the risk of being remembered as the worst since 1999.  Public Relations Consultants and media officials of this particular Senate have done their part flooding both the print and the online media with details of how productive the Bukola Saraki-led Senate has been, and they have been quite aggressive in telling us about 30 important Bills which when passed, will change the face of Nigeria and deliver change.

The Senate according to one report has considered over 125 bills, debated over 48 motions, and passed three bills. But nobody is apparently impressed. During the Jonathan administration, the Senate was the better regarded of the two legislative chambers. While members of the House of Representatives in the Seventh Assembly behaved as if they were a band of students’ unionists, the then Red Chamber projected an image of maturity and temperance, even if it was also self-serving! With the 8th Assembly, the House of Representatives, apart from the shameful resort to physical combat over the distribution of “juicy” committees in November 2015, has shown itself to be better organized than the present Senate. The critical difference is that of leadership. It is one of management. It is a matter of weight and politics. 

S’Court hears Saraki’s application to halt CCT trial today

The Supreme Court will on Thursday (today) hear an application by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, for stay of proceedings of his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on 13 counts of false assets declaration.

It was learnt on Wednesday that the Federal Government, through its counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had on Tuesday opposed the application for stay of proceedings, citing among other grounds, Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, which prohibits courts from entertaining such application.

Saraki, who filed his application through his lead counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), on November 3, 2015, wants the Supreme Court to halt his trial before the CCT pending the hearing and determination of his appeal before the apex court.

The Senate President had appealed to the Supreme Court against the October 30, 2015 judgment of the Court of Appeal which affirmed the competence of the charges instituted against him and the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him.