Buhari Honours Ekweremadu At Book Launch

Despite the ongoing political imbroglio, President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly will honour an invitation by the Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Ekweremadu's book, titled, ‘Who will Love my Country: Ideas for Building the Nigeria of Our dreams,’ will be presented on Wednesday 27the April 2016, and Buhari will be one of the guests, contrary to reports that the President had vowed never to have anything to do with Ekweremadu who is an opposition occupying a position the President believed ought to occupy by his party, All Progressives Congress, APC

The presidency, sources said, vowed not to have anything to do with Ekweremadu, who it believed usurped a position that should have been occupied by an All Progressives Congress, APC Senator.

Senator Ike Ekweremadi is also a leading senator who may eventually become Nigerian first Senate President from opposition party, following the CCT Trial of the embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki

But fresh report according to Nigerian Pilot suggests that President Muhammadu Buhari among many other eminent Nigerians will attend a book launch, written by Ekerema.

Others to who are billed to be at the event are; former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, Senate President Bukola Saraki and speaker of the House of Representatives are among eminent Nigerians billed to grace the public presentation of the book, ‘Who will Love my Country: Ideas for Building the Nigeria of Our dreams,’ authored by the deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

The event slated for Wednesday is also expected to feature a dialogue where notable academics and technocrats will share their views on the broad themes of the book.

These personalities include Prof Pat Utomi, founder, Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Sam Egwu of the Department of Political Science, University of Jos, and His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.

Making the disclosures on Monday at the Senate Press Centre while addressing a press conference, chairman of the organising committee, Professor Amucheazi, flanked by other members of the committee, further disclosed that the book was Ekweremadu’s modest attempt at dissecting the problems facing Nigeria, with a view to sharing his own ideas on the way forward.

While emphasising that the book was also meant to challenge leaders and all Nigerians to find creative solutions to the myriad of problems confronting the country, Amucheazi further said: “The ideas he (Ekweremadu) expressed in the book are generally to beseech Nigerians to engage in good faith discourse on how to make the Nigeria project work for all of us.”

He added that “it is hoped that this intellectual discourse will provoke ideas that will boost governance at all levels for the benefit of all Nigerians. We solicit your support to make the occasion a success.”

On why the book presentation was coming now, the professor of Law further said: “The book presentation was initially scheduled to take place immediately after the 2015 general elections. The author however had to revisit the book due to the non-assent to the 4thAlteration Constitution (Amendment) Bill. The presentation is now scheduled to hold on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at the International Conference Centre at 1pm prompt.”

Saraki's Successor: 10 APC Senators Strike Deal To Support Ekweremadu, See Names of Senators Involved

The struggle to succeed the embattled President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki took an anticipated direction at the weekend as 10 of the ruling All progressives Congress, APC Senators have secretly struck a deal with Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Daily Trust Newspaper reported on Sunday.

According to our Source, the Daily Trust, the 10 APC Senior lawmakers allegedly entered into a secret agreement with Ekweremadu should the current trial of the incumbent, Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal consume him. Daily Trust reported that Saraki's resignation or sack is imminent, mush more reason the tribunal is accelerating the prosecution.

The deal to back Ekweremadu was reportedly sealed when the 10 diehard pro-Saraki APC senators held a meeting with their PDP counterparts and discussed their next line of action should the Senate President is forced to step down. At the end of the meeting, they agreed that Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu would be put forward to replace Saraki. 

At the meeting, it was concluded that the 10 APC senators pledged to join force with the 50 PDP senators to elect Ekweremadu as replacement if the trial consumes the embattled Senate President

As reported by Daily Trust, the APC senators who signed the deal include two senators from Kwara, one from Kogi, three from Niger, one from Adamawa, one from Sokoto and two senators from Bauchi State. The 10 assured PDP senators that if Saraki is forced out, they will stand by them to elect Ekweremadu “no matter what their party does to persuade them.” 

They also promised that they will shun overtures even from President Muhammadu Buhari and team up with their PDP colleagues. 

Presently, out of the 109 Senators, the APC has 58, the PDP has 44 PDP with six vacancies. A switch of sides by eight APC senators is enough to turn PDP into a majority in the chamber.

Read More From Daily Trust

Stranded Saraki's RENTED Protesters Cry Out Over UNPAID Daily Stipends

Angered by the inability of their renters to pay them, some of the protesters hired by embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki to protest his corruption trial are disaffected because the N1000 per day they were promised has not been paid for a few days, Sahara Reporters says.

According to Sahara Reporters, a key player in the staged protests told SaharaReporters participants were recruited and paid N1000 per day to demonstrate their solidarity with Mr. Saraki, who is charged with false declaration of assets. He added that the fees had not been forthcoming for a few days, leading to disaffection among the rented protesters.

The source said he was one of a few men tasked with mobilizing poor or unemployed youngsters to mount protests against the senator’s trial. “We arranged for [recruited] for these, food vendors,  sachet water sellers, mai-barrow (truck pushers) and mai- boiler (scavengers). They no longer went to their normal businesses because we were paying them N1000 each,” the source said. 

Underaged protesters recruited by Saraki to besiege
the the CCT
Source: Sahara Reporters

He accused Mr. Saraki’s aides of suddenly cutting off the cash to pay the demonstrators. “As you can see, all of them [the protesters] are sitting over there angry because they have not been paid for some days now. They are not happy. I have appealed to them but they remain adamant and even go to the extent of destroying the placards and banners that we gave to them,” said the source. 

Our correspondent found torn pieces of posters and banners strewn all over the ground while some of the angry protesters were seen under the tree looking downcast.                                           

Our correspondent talked to some of the disgruntled protesters. Asked if they knew who Mr. Saraki was or the crimes for which he was being tried, several of them said they had no idea.

“All I want is the money they promised to give us every day,” one dismayed protester who identified himself simply as Sule, said.                                       

Our source said he was among several contacts contracted by the senator’s aides to rent protesters. He told SaharaReporters that one of the recruiters was almost manhandled one day when the people he hired accused him of collecting as much as N3000 per head and paying them only N1000. He said some of the protesters are armed with such weapons as sharp knives and cudgels, adding that some of them also carry “charms.” Last week, the police arrested one protester after spotting a weapon on him. Our source said the protester was released after the group leader who recruited him pleaded with the police on his behalf.                                               

One protester decried the fact that they stayed in the sun all day but were not paid at the end of the day. He insisted that they must get paid their arrears. The protesters sometimes stay out in the sweltering heat from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., often without food or water.       

Our source disclosed that Mr. Saraki’s aides had initially provided two 18-seater buses to transport hired protesters from the outskirts of Abuja.

In a related development, an editor of a major newspaper based in Lagos told our correspondent that Mr. Saraki’s bid to shape the media’s coverage of his trial has had little effect. “The senator’s media team has been working round the clock to bribe editors here in Lagos and in Abuja in order to influence the reportage of his trial. But I know that most of the media executive turned down the offer as they don't want to be caught up in any mess.”

SaharaReporters had earlier revealed that Mr. Saraki’s media team had held a meeting with various judicial correspondents at a garden near the International Conference Center in Abuja. Each correspondent was given N50, 000 to ensure that they would not carry negative accounts of the trial.

 However, today Mr. Saraki media team issued a statement claiming the government witness could not give an accurate account of his "AMEX" account, the press release was already being passed off as a real story by some media outlets.

Some of the protesters stay under the tree nearby waiting to be paid
Source: Sahara Reporters

Tired R

Source: SR

Saraki's Trial: Heated Argument Ensues At Tribunal Today, Read Full Text Of Proceedings (2)

CLICK HERE TO READ FROM BEGINNING

Agabi: My Lord, My Lord, My Lord, I thank you. If I could speak with you on my knees, I would
Agabi: More and more people will make you angry my Lord. Will you send them all off to the prison?
Justice Umar : He exchanged words with me. Does he have right to do that?
Agabi: No he doesn't. Forgive him my Lord
Justice Umar: I have already closed thay chapter.
Agabi: Thank you my Lord. (To prosecution) you will always be my brother
Kanu Agabi takes his seat as Paul Usoro continues his cross examination of the witness
Defense: I am told that the last entry was 16/4/2010 of $84,000 on page 8
Defense: Michael correct?
Witness: That's right my Lord
Defense : On page 9, 18/5/2010, $134,000 transaction was carried out
Defense : 21/6/2010, $64,000 was made..still on that page 9. On 29/7/2010, $80,984 transaction was also made

Defense: On page 10, 2 transactions took place. 1st on 31/8/2010 for $100,000
Defense: After that, $18,000 was made on 2/9/201
Defense: On page 11, on 11/10/2010, $48,900 and 8/12/2010, $183,232.46 were made
Defense: page 12, 31/2/2011, $32,687 and on 22/3/2011, $30,656.74 were transactions made
Defense: $40,730.85 was transaction made on 8/5/2011.
Defense: $111,444.79 and on 19/7/2011, $43, 651.92 were transactions reflected on page 13
Witness: That's correct
Defense: page 14 now. On 16/8/2011, $91,738 and then 26/8/2011, $10,000 were figures entered
Witness directs defense to 29/8/2011 where transaction of $65,000 was done
Defense: 27/8/2011, $112,140.80 was entered.
Prosecution draws the attention of the defense to page 15 where a transaction of $1,121.41 was entered on 27/9/2011
Defense draws witness 's attention to a charge on a major transaction to which prosecution needed clarification
Defense: Page 16, 14/12/2011, $86, 872.10, on 4/1/2012, $50,000, on 27/1/2012, $145,000 were entries made
Defense: Page 17, on 30/01/2012, $7,000, on 10/2/2012 $94,754.63 and 20/2/2012, $77,000 were entries made
Defense: page 18, 29/3/2012, $70,648.44 was entered. On 12/4/2012, $60,000 and on 11/5/2012, $70,000 were entered
Defense: still on that page 17/5/2012, $55,000 was the entry entered. 4 major entries, Michael
Again Justice Umar wonders why the defense feels the need to take the tribunal through this long process.

The tribunal now calls for a 30 minutes recess to reconvene at 1:30 pm
Justice Umar: Do you want us to die here?
Court dissolves into laughter
Usoro: I am sorry my Lord. We are almost there
Defense : Page 19, 12/6/2012, $89,411.74, 4/7/2012 for $70,000 and on 16/7/2012, $138,000 were entries entered
Defense: Page 20 now. On 5/9/2012, $45,000,
Witness: that was on the 6th
Defense corrects himself
Defense: 24/9/2012, $45,308 and on 11/10/2012, $130,400 were transactions carried out
Witness confirms that those are the only transactions made on said page
Defense: page 21 on 18/12/2012, $4,153. Defense draws witness attention to a major transfer of $560 on 17/1/2013
Defense: Now page 22.
Witness : there is no major transfer there
Defense: That's all as far as that doc is concerned
Defense: the narration in all these is dt d only name to which those transfers are made is American Express Services Ltd Europe
Witness: That's the destination of the transfers
Defense to Justice: destination as in where the money is transferred to
Defense: I will ask you general questions regarding GTB letter on page 37 of the Exhibit for count 12
Defense: in other words gtbank by its letter of 1/4/2014 forwarded the certified true copies of instruments
Witness : That's correct.
Defense: I am more interested in the tekex messages
Witness: some were sent and relate to count 12
Justice Umar takes a look at his time
Defense: I could break even now my Lord
Justice Umar: We can take a break now to continue later refreshed & strong
Defense: page 21 on 18/12/2012, $4,153. Defense draws witness attention to a major transfer of $560 on 17/1/2013
Defense :we thank your Lordships for your indulgence. Thank you very much my Lord. 1:30 pm is fine for reconvergence
The tribunal now calls for a 30 minutes recess to reconvene at 1:30 pm

Saraki's Trial: Heated Argument Ensues At Tribunal Today, Read Full Text Of Proceedings

At exactly 10:40AM, Justice Danladi Umar enters the court room as proceedings for the day begins. All rise!
And the matter before the tribunal is read out. SP bukolasaraki takes to the dock ‪#‎CCTvsSaraki‬

Rotimi Jacobs, lead prosecutor names 6 people as companying the prosecution team as usual while Defense counsel Ajibola Oloyede, reads out names of about 51 lawyers on their team

Defense wants to draw the CCT for a motion they earlier filled. Prosecution says the matter for the day is cross examination
Rotimi Jacobs says defense lawyer Ajibola Oloyede tried to serve him a motion yesterday
Prosecution says Oloyede has never appeared before the tribunal b4 & d motion should have been filed thru lead defense counsel
Prosecution says Oloyede also served his lead defense counsel motion the same time his was served
Prosecution says there was no address of the lead defense counsel on the new motion Oloyede wanted to file
Prosecution: as at the time Oloyede filled the motion, he was not a counsel here. This motion is not right for hearing here
Prosecution: as at the time Oloyede filled the motion, he was not a counsel here. This motion is not right for hearing her
The motion in question says Justice Umar is still under investigation by the EFCC
Justice Umar: that motion has no business in this tribunal.
Oloyede tries to speak and Justice asks him to sit down!
Prosecution urges his Lordship to be patient with him as he will attach every relevant document to the motion Oloyede filled
Justice Umar chides members of the inner bar for not leading by example. 'How can you allow such a thing to happen', he asks
Justice Umar says Oloyede filled his motion as an individual and not as a counsel to the defendant
Justice Umar: that motion as long as the CCT is concerned is of no consequence is therefore thrown away
Justice Umar says members of the Bar are Ministers of Justice. Says it is 'so shameful and unfortunate
Oloyede says 'he is not aware that the lead counsel is not aware of the motion filled.
Oloyede : your Lordship has the right to rule over our application no matter how foolish or insignificant it may be

Defense: see? We are making progress.
The narration is exactly the same as the one mentioned before
Witness: When investigating this matter, I was asked to give account of everything found
Witness: from our investigation, every transaction relating to American Express Europe Services was computed.
Defense: like I said, the other entries on that sheet you are with relate to the charges on those major transfers
Witness: I said so earlier
Defense points witness to Page 7 11/11/2009 where $127,187.41 transaction was made. That is a major one right?
Witness: Yes my Lord
Defense: Alright
Defense: On 15/12/2009, $43,318.26 was another major transaction carried out right?
Witness: yes
Defense: On that same page, on 7/01/2010, $140,319.04 was another major transaction carried out right?
Witness: That's correct
Defense: The rest of what is on that page are merely charges after every major transaction
Witness: Yes
Defense: In pg 6, on 18/2/2013, $97, 139.99 was the only major transfer to American Express. Correct?
Witness: Yes
(5)
Defense: I haven't asked the witness to read out every detail on the document. The prosecution is wrong on that
Defense: And my Lord, what if we add up all these numbers and they don't add up to the total stated by the witness?
Defense: He is the lead investigator. It isn't such a difficult thing to do, is it?
Justice Adatze cuts in and asks defense to cross examine witness on the particular transactions he has issues with
Defense points witness to numbers on the statement. Witness says they are charges on the transaction
Defense: there is one for $6.46.
Witness: those are charges on transactions
Defense: so you are saying they don't form part of the total amount?
Witness: I can't conform until it is recomputed.
Defense: let that be put on record
Witness repeats dt he can't confirm if charges form part of d amt indicated in counts 11/12
Justice Umar: Let's put this clear first. We are on count 12, isn't it?
Defense: yes My Lord
Defense points witness to page 5 where a transaction was done on 8/9/2009 for $127,174.05
Defense: the narration is swift transfer FX Dr Bukola Saraki /American Express Services Europe
Defense: there is another major transfer on 21/10/2009
Witness : That's another major transfer

Agabi: Please be patient with us my Lord. Be patient with him. I make mistakes. No one makes more mistake than myself
Agabi now draws inferences from his childhood and primary school education and how he overcame his weakness
Agabi: I have learned not to judge people by their appearance. My Lord, don't judge me by my mistakes
Umar explains that Oloyede ' s motion was filled, not when he was a member of the defense team and hence he thrashed it
Umar: I wanted to commit him in court for contempt but for the intervention of his colleagues. That's why he sits here
..continue reading from HERE

Source:Kenny Ola Adebanjo

David Mark REJECTS Offer To Replace Saraki, Declares Support For APC; 4 Names Shortlisted

Tense mood pervaded the Senate proceedings on Tuesday, following the departure of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to attend the sitting of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), in respect of his ongoing trial for false asset declaration.

The Nigerian senators were said to be unhappy at the development, especially with the symbol of the institution being kept in the dock during Senate sittings.

“We cannot shave someone’s head in his absence,” said a lawmaker, who added that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not debated the issue of who replaces Saraki if he is possibly swept aside through the ongoing trial,” sources said.

The lawmakers said the issue of who takes over at the helm of the Senate would only be taken within a few days when it became obvious.

The development was coming on the heels of the revelation that the immediate past Senate president, Senator David Mark, has rejected subtle offers that he takes over from Saraki, in case the Senate president is removed.

Sources close to the former Senate president told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja that Mark was content with playing the role of an elder in the Senate, adding that he would continue to be a guide to the Senate at critical times.

“I can tell you that the former Senate president is content with his role as the conscience of the eighth senate. He is of the view that the PDP should allow the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) run the show, so that the former ruling party could play its role as opposition.

“We in the PDP have had our time and Senator Mark is of the view that the APC should be allowed to run its government, so that they don’t turn around and blame anyone for obstructing them,” the source said.

It, however, emerged that the pro and anti-Saraki forces have continued their strategy meetings despite the daily sittings at the CCT.

While some members of the SUF, who have clamoured for a united APC caucus in the Senate, had also canvassed the emergence of a unity candidate in case Saraki was removed, the Like Mind Senators, the group loyal to Saraki, had continued to bank on the support of the PDP to dictate the pace.

It was gathered that the groups had agreed to field a unity candidate if Saraki was removed.

“One of the issues said to have been agreed to at the different caucus meetings is the fact that a unity candidate should emerge and that could lead to the emergence of a compromise candidate,” a source said.

It was gathered that some names had been thrown up, but no conclusion had been reached so far.

Those being mentioned included Senator Shaba Lafiaji (Kwara), Barnabas Gemade (Benue), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa) and the Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu (Enugu).

In another development, the Senate announced on Tuesday that the National Security Adviser and service chiefs would appear before the lawmakers today.

Their appearance was in connection with the summon extended to them last week by the Senate over the  missing Chibok girls, kidnapped by Boko Haram elements in 2014.

Ekweremadu, who presided over the sitting, said the NSA and the service chiefs would be in the chamber by 10.00 a.m., while urging the senators to be punctual.

Ekweremadu said that the Senate was worried at the continuous disappearance of the abducted girls and apparent lack of information on what the security agencies were doing to secure their release.

In another motion passed on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, the lawmakers approved the continued importation of used tyres, popularly called Tokunbo, into the country through land borders.

The motion followed the passage of the motion, entitled: “the use of substandard or used tyres on Nigerian roads,” sponsored by Senator Shehu Sani.

Sani, in his motion, expressed worry about the growing deaths from road traffic accidents.

He said from 2010 to date, statistics had shown that over 5,000 lives had been lost on Nigerian roads as a result of burst tyres.

He said the development was either due to low quality or over-use of the tyres.

But the Senate failed to empower the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) to conduct a random checks on tyres in use across the country.

Nigerian Tribune

At Last EFCC Names Sources Who Expose Saraki's Atrocities, How He Looted LG Funds, Teachers' Salaries, Others

The first prosecution witness Mr. Michael Wetkas, on Tuesday said charges of false asset declaration against Saraki were a product of information leaked to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by whistle-blowers.

Wetkas, who completed his three days of testimony on Monday, is an EFCC operative who led the inter-agency team which investigated the allegations leading to the charges preferred against Saraki.

He said while being cross-examined by the Senate President’s lead defence lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), on Tuesday that his team was set up in 2014 after which the EFCC’s management briefed him and his colleagues on the team about the “intelligence” received on Saraki.

Fielding questions from Agabi, the witness said though he did not get to see the intelligence report received by the EFCC management, the documents attached to it, such as Saraki’s statement of account and telex transfers, were handed to his team.

“This investigation is an offshoot of the analysis of the intelligence report we received,” he said.

After the defence lawyer faulted the claim, contending that there was no intelligence report received by the EFCC, the witness said, “I did not say that the CCT cannot see the report.

“I am under oath and if there was no intelligence, I wouldn’t have come to this court and testify.”

“Intelligence sometimes comes orally, sometimes it comes in writing submitted to authorities of the commission by whistle-blowers.

“In this particular case, I said this under oath, documents were handed over to my team with a briefing.

“Those documents formed the take-off of the investigation by my team in 2014.”

During the cross-examination, the witness confirmed that one of the two other members of his team, Nura Bako, was present in court during the Tuesday’s proceedings.

He stated, “The investigation by three of us in my team was based on intelligence and the documents. We were also told that there were also ongoing investigations by other teams with respect to the defendants by the commission.

“The intelligence revealed to us a lot of assets acquired by the defendant and we liaised with the Federal Government and the Code of Conduct Bureau to conclude our investigation.”

When confronted with the asset declaration forms submitted by Saraki to the CCB in 2003, 2007 and 2011, Wetkas confirmed that they bore the stamp to show that they were examined by the bureau.

Earlier in his cross-examination on Tuesday, Agabi dwelt on the details of about four petitions tendered by the prosecution in the course of the trial, accusing Saraki of looting Kwara State’s treasury while serving as governor of the state between 2003 and 2011.

Agabi said he took the decision to cross-examine Wetkas on the petitions in order to challenge the contents and because they were tendered through the witness by the lead prosecution, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).

Wetkas, in response to wide-ranging questions relating to the petitions asked by Agabi, insisted that the allegations contained in the petitions were not the basis of the investigation which his team conducted leading to the charges of false asset declaration preferred against Saraki.

The petitions, which he was confronted with by Saraki’s lawyer, were earlier admitted as Exhibits 10 to 13 by the tribunal.

The petitions, which were sent to the EFCC in May and June 2012, were authored by a group, Kwara Freedom Network.

Wetkas confirmed under cross-examination that the petitions were written about one year after Saraki left office as Governor of Kwara State.

He confirmed that none of the petitions had to do with the allegation of false asset declaration which is the subject matter before the tribunal.

In the petition dated May 2, 2012, marked Exhibit 10, the petitioners asked the EFCC to probe alleged fraud in the management of Shongai Farm Holdings.

Exhibit 11 is a petition addressed to the EFCC and dated May 2, 2012.

The petition appealed to the EFCC to “save  Kwara State primary schools from total collapse”.

It was alleged in the petition that teachers’ salaries were inflated by Saraki and through the alleged fraud, he (Saraki) was able to receive more than the necessary allocation for teachers’ salaries.

Wetkas, while responding to a question, said he did not obtain the statements of the signatories to the petitions – Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo and Alhaji Hassan Atanda – because they were not material to the investigation which his own team conducted.

Exhibit 12 is a petition against Saraki dated May 2, 2012, which was also addressed to the EFCC.

The petition asked the EFCC to investigate borrowings by the Kwara State Government for projects described as “phoney”.

Exhibit 13 is a petition dated June 7, 2012, which was addressed to the EFCC and copied the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, the Presidency and the Kwara State House of Assembly.

The petition accused Saraki of misuse or misappropriation of monthly revenue account of the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara State.

While ending his questions on the petitions to Wetkas,  Agabi said, “I put it to you that all the agencies did not take any action on it because on the face of it, the petition was frivolous.”

Meanwhile, the CCT chairman, Umar, on Tuesday adjourned the case at about 6.38pm till Wednesday (today) after he overruled another request by the defence team for a one week adjournment.

The defence had sought the adjournment to enable its team to study some documents tendered by the prosecution and admitted by the tribunal on Monday.

But Umar said the tribunal, having ruled on Monday that the trial would proceed on a day-to-day basis, as stipulated under Section 396 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, it could not turn round to take any contrary decision on the matter.

“The tribunal cannot approbate and reprobate,” he held.

Punch Newspaper

Drama As Senate Colleagues Jest, Laugh At Saraki As He Rushes To CCT Trial Amidst Plenary

There was a mild drama on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday as Senate President Bukola Saraki, obviously unaware that time was against him, rushed out of the chamber for his ongoing trial for false asset declaration at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Saraki, who presided over the early part of the day’s proceedings, commenced legislative business at exactly 10.48am.

But the senate president had to rush out of plenary and hurriedly handed over to his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, by 11.31am to enable him to meet up with his trial at the CCT, which was to resume by 12noon.

The Senate was deliberating on a bill for an Act to establish the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, when Saraki suddenly realised that it was time for him to leave the chamber.

He suddenly jumped up from his seat, adjusted his flowing ‘agbada’, signalled to Ekweremadu to take over and hurried out of the chamber.

Senator James Manager, who was making a contribution to the debate, suddenly stopped while the change of baton between Saraki and Ekweremadu took place.

The  action generated a prolonged laughter and the new presiding officer had to call the house to order and asked Manager to continue his speech.

The Federal Government is prosecuting Saraki before the Danladi Umar-led CCT on charges bordering on falsehood in the asset declaration forms which he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau between 2003 and 2011.

The trial, which started at about 1.38pm, lasted for five hours and was only adjourned till Wednesday (today) at about 6.38pm on Tuesday.