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Tag: Saraki

  • Saraki sneers at legal ordeal

    Saraki sneers at legal ordeal

    On the same day Senate President Bukola Saraki asked the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) trial judge Danladi Umar to recuse himself on the grounds that the jurist was under EFCC’s criminal investigation, documents surfaced indicating that the judge had since last year been absolved of the 2012 allegations of corruption levelled against him by one Rasheed Taiwo, a retired Customs officer. Dr Saraki’s recuse request was presented through a fresh motion by a counsel, Raphael Oluyede. The new counsel had not been previously listed as a member of the counsels defending the senate president, nor did the leader of Dr Saraki’s defence team, Kanu Agabi (SAN), a former Minister of Justice, at first give any indication he was associated with the unusual application. Mr Agabi was to later reverse himself. Justice Umar, however, refused the application, describing Mr Oluyede as a busybody.

    Mr Oluyede had previously also filed a suit heard by Justice Abdul Kafarati seeking to halt Dr Saraki’s trial on the grounds of rights enforcement and the court’s lack of jurisdiction. That suit was dismissed two Fridays ago, thus paving the way for the senate president’s trial to proceed diligently. It is not clear whether any other effort would be made to stifle the trial, considering that more than six months after he was first docked, the Senate President has explored as many baffling chances as possible, up to the apex court, to stall the EFCC case accusing him of false declaration of asset as governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011. After finally failing at the Supreme Court, Dr Saraki had pronounced himself ready to defend his reputation, indicating that indeed, he was glad to begin the process of clearing his name of any wrongdoing.

    But between when he declared his readiness to defend himself and last week, Dr Saraki again made two solid efforts to stall the case. He apparently is not as pleased to defend himself as he has let out. More, it is even beginning to look like he is not really convinced he is innocent of all or some of the 13 charges (now amended to 15) filed against him. By his desperation and manoeuvres, he continues to give the impression he knows his goose is cooked. He began his pussyfooting by first showing to the world how undignified it was for the Senate President to be tried, not to talk of being docked. After that failed, he began to plot the failure of the entire case by attempting to procure technicalities to thwart the case. Regardless of the commencement of the case proper, Dr Saraki has still not relented in looking for excuses to end the case before it is properly tried. Indeed, as it stands today, and despite his serial failure to stymie the case, no one can determine when the Senate President will finally give up on his puzzling display of legal and political legerdemain.

    It will nevertheless be prejudicial for any commentator to argue with certainty that the case will go against Dr Saraki. Notwithstanding the optimism of the prosecution and the pessimism of the accused himself, it is in fact uncertain how the case will end. What is however certain is that Dr Saraki seems appallingly unmindful of the consequences of his brazen plots and stratagems to defeat the rule of law. He heads the topmost legislative chamber in the country, making him the country’s number one lawmaker. That position and that chamber call for the most intense circumspection, not pertinaciousness. There is a regal, executive and jurisprudential nobility to lawmaking, not to talk of the noblesse oblige that every lawmaker must subscribe to. Yet, all this appears lost on Dr Saraki.

    What is even worse is that except those who are in turn plotting to unhorse Dr Saraki from the senate presidency, no other senator, particularly among those supporting him, recognises the futility and farcicality of trooping to the courts in solidarity with the Senate President. Dr Saraki and his supporters have tried to present the CCT case as political persecution. Even if they felt so, there is nothing in the charges filed against him, and the manner of his arraignment, that indicates political persecution. This fact has become obvious over the months. If Dr Saraki’s senatorial friends initially suspect persecution, enough has transpired between then and now for them to shun the exhibitionism displayed every court day. In any case, what is more crucial is that Dr Saraki is not just a senator or ordinary person, he is the country’s chief lawmaker. That position more than anything else requires utmost scrupulousness in behaviour. The question Nigerians will ask is: if those who make laws for the country exhibit such poor judgement, where is the hope of democracy?

    Dr Saraki has repeatedly declared his readiness to defend himself and clear his name, even if he privately spurns his word. It is important for him to step aside and do so. But meanwhile, let him eschew all the plots and stratagems he has become enamoured of. Fellow senators should also desist from their farcical show of support. Despite initial confusion and uncertainties, the CCT appears ready to hear the case on its merit and to let justice be served. Both the CCT and Nigeria’s chief lawmaker owe the country the duty of ensuring that the rule of law is scrupulously adhered to. They must do nothing to undermine it or the cause of justice. Dr Saraki in particular must set a precedent by upholding and advancing a code of behaviour that compels public officials to step aside when such weighty charges are levelled against them.

  • PDP Senators and the scramble for Saraki’s seat

    PDP Senators and the scramble for Saraki’s seat

    Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan reports on the schemes by the Peoples Democratic Party to take Senator Bukola Saraki’s seat

    Following strong indications that the leadership chairs in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria may have to re­volve again soon, if the happenings at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja, where Senate President Bukola Saraki is being tried by the Federal Government for alleged false assets declaration, is anything to go by, senators and other stakeholders in the National Assembly have stepped up their games in the search for a possible successor to the embattled former governor of Kwara State.

    Reliable National Assembly sources, who spoke with The Nation on the issue during the week, said as a result of some damning revelations made so far at the ongoing trial, many senators, including die-hard supports of Saraki, are skeptical of his chances of surviving his current ordeals.

    While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly putting its house in order to ensure that it is not caught unawares whenever the need to replace Saraki arises, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), according to party sources, is determined to turn the table and produce the next Senate President should Saraki, believed to be an ally of the PDP caucus in the National Assembly, eventually lose his seat.

    Many of the senators, from both divides in the National Assembly, observed that the search in various camps for a successor to Saraki is informed by the realisation that sooner or later, it will no longer  be contestable that the Senate President lacks the  morality and credibility to remain in office.

    “Nigerians are not the type of people that will continue to keep quiet and allow Saraki enjoy his seat as the details of the allegations against him unfolds at the CCT. More so, we foresee a situation where his ongoing trial will affect his functions as the Senate President and force him to stand down,” a Senator from Kogi State told The Nation.

    PDP’s bid

    Senators elected on the platform of the opposition PDP have been speaking of how they intend to displace the ruling APC from the leadership of the National Assembly by producing the next Senate President after Saraki. While the APC continues to keep its cards close to its chest, many PDP senators have been speaking assuredly of what will happen after Saraki’s exit.

    The PDP, it was gathered, is banking on the possibility of fresh disaffection breaking out among APC senators in the event that the Senate President is consumed by his ongoing trial at the CCT. Sources claim the opposition party has started reaching out to prominent pro-Saraki senators as part of efforts to actualise the plot.

    “Our plan is to either get them to defect to the PDP or work with the party just as we did with them, to produce the Senate President if Saraki is convicted by the CCT. We are sure some APC senators will vote for our candidate along with the PDP senators because, as you can see, many of our colleagues are unhappy with the way the Senate President is being treated and are resolved to stop those behind his travail from taking over the senate,” a PDP senator told The Nation.

    Reliable sources said a meeting between PDP leaders in the senate and prominent supporters of the Senate President would be held this weekend in Abuja to discuss the issue and arrive at a position ahead of any eventuality. According to a reliable source, to be discussed in addition to a possible successor, are plans of ensuring that the Senate President is not stampeded out of office soon by APC senators and other anti-Saraki forces.

    Senator Clifford Ordia, while speaking on the matter, said if Saraki is removed, PDP would produce his successor. He added that PDP Senators have resolved to present one of them to seek the position while PDP as a party, is waiting with keen interest as events unfold.

    “PDP will produce the next Senate President if Senate President Bukola Saraki is removed. PDP Senators are waiting with keen interest. In a democracy, the Executive does not choose who should be the Senate President; this is what the 8th Senate has done by getting its own presiding officer. By singling out Saraki to punish is unacceptable, we will stand by him,” he said.

    Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, recently said the opposition political party, would produce Saraki’s successor. He affirmed that the opposition PDP has the numerical requirement to make a move for the leadership of the senate.

    “We only need three and we have it. The calculation is very clear to me. The calculation is very clear for PDP. We know what it will take us. It is clearer to me now that the PDP will win it. We will win it. If anybody is thinking that a PDP man is going to vote against a PDP candidate, he is telling you a lie.

    We have people and we know how to get the people from APC. We will win and that will be very interesting. What is happening in America is going to happen in Nigeria. America has a Republican Senate but the Executive is led by Democrats. So, it’s happening in different parts of the world. I can tell you with what’s on the ground that we will produce the next Senate President,” he said.

    The Nation gathered that apart from efforts of the leadership of the PDP caucus in the National Assembly to garner enough support to actualise the dream of controlling the senate, the new PDP national leadership under Senator Alli Modu Sherif, is desirous of clinching the position as a way of returning the embattled party to reckoning ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    “The current situation in the senate as we speak is largely that of skepticism. Many of us are worried that the Senate President may have been cornered after all. As politicians, we are not going to put all our eggs in one basket as the matter unfolds. That is why you hear so much talk about a possible successor.

    “While we are still very much in support of Saraki, we are approaching the matter with a lot of caution. Those who are after the Senate President are doing this for a purpose. We also have our eyes on that purpose with a view to ensuring that they didn’t achieve their desire of foisting a sectional leadership on this hallowed Assembly.

    “Even the leadership of our party is part of this quest to actualise the return of PDP to the leadership of the National Assembly. To our new National Chairman, it will be a great way to start re-introducing the party to Nigerians as we look forward to the 2019 general elections,” our source, a Senator from Ekiti State, said.

    Already, PDP senators have been meeting in Abuja to discuss the way forward for the party, especially on how to corner the Senate Presidency in the event of Saraki’s resignation or conviction by the CCT. One of such meetings, sources claim, was held last Monday evening at the residence of a principal officer of the Senate from the Southern part of the country.

    Twist in the bid

    Meanwhile a subtle political contest may have started amongst PDP senators over which of its members may eventually be pushed forward to seek to succeed Saraki as the Senate President when the need arises. The Nation gathered that currently, the party’s caucus is having a choice to make between returning former Senate President David Mark to the seat or backing Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu for the plum job.

    The Nation gathered that following Saraki’s failure to secure a judgment from the Supreme Court stopping his trial the last week, PDP senators started showing open support for the choices of either Mark or Ekweremadu as the party caucus intensified its strategies on how to take over from Saraki, holding series of meetings where they canvassed for the support of their colleagues.

    At a meeting held during the week, with the PDP National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and other prominent party stakeholders in attendance, the names of both Mark and Ekweremadu were thrown into the ring by their supporters as likely candidates of the party’s caucus for the position.

    A senator who was at the meeting confirmed that it was called to discuss the burning issue of Saraki’s trial and what should happen afterwards. He further explained that while the caucus is yet to decide on who to back for the position should Saraki quit; it has resolved to support a PDP senator come what may.

    “The final decision of the particular senator to support is yet to be taken because we are still very optimistic that Senator Saraki may weather this storm through successfully. However, one thing we have done is to resolve that whatever happens, should the need arise; we will back a PDP senator for the job.

    “At the last meeting held to discuss the matter, we even had our party leaders around to show the seriousness the PDP attaches to the issue at stake. It was confirmed at the meeting that we have what it takes to take a shot at the senate presidency. We want to leave nobody in doubt that we are ready to go for it,” our source said.

    While neither Mark nor Ekweremadu has come out openly to indicate interest in the position, The Nation learnt that their supporters are leaving no stone unturned as they struggle to sell their candidacy to PDP and APC senators alike. In fact, the Deputy Senate President has been telling whoever cares to listen that there will be no change in the leadership of the senate.

    The arguments

    But a senator from the South-East, who is a prominent ally of the embattled Senate President, said many members of the Saraki kitchen cabinet have already bought into the idea of Ekweremadu succeeding Saraki. According to him, it became easy for them to look in the direction of the Deputy Senate President because he is also a die-hard Saraki loyalist.

    “Ekweremadu is one of us. In the possibility of Saraki losing out, we are under pressure to consider a replacement that will maintain the status quo in the senate and avoid the rumpus that usually comes with change in leadership. An Ekweremadu-led Senate will have little or no changes to make to the current arrangement.

    “It is also instructive to note that an Ekweremadu candidacy is in support of widespread call for the South-East to be adequately accommodated in the current power equation. Many of our colleagues are sympathetic towards this permutation and we expect them to buy into it when the time comes,” our source said.

    The Nation also learnt that the South-East caucus in the National Assembly has revived its cries of marginalisation with Ekweremadu himself recently calling on the federal government to stop provoking Igbos. He added that the Igbo would resist further attempts to disrespect or marginalise them in the governance of the country.

    His words: “As Ndigbo, we are going through trying periods; we are being provoked everyday by the government of the country; by the way they treat our people especially and the marginalisation going on at the level of the Federal government. We are all aware of the contributions of the Igbo to the growth and development of this country. We have done so much for this country and we deserve some amount of respect; and until we get our respect, Nigeria will not be the same.

    “So, any person who thinks the Igbo will be relegated is joking; we believe in equity and justice. We will never accept a situation where Igbo or any other tribe for that matter, is excluded in the governance of this country. Nigeria belongs to all of us.”

    Observers of the happenings in the senate says Ekweremadu’s camp is hoping to leverage on the number of senators from the South-East to sway the PDP caucus to adopt Ekweremadu, who is also believed to enjoy sizable support among some APC senators in Saraki’s camp.

    But another group within the opposition party would rather have Mark returned as the Senate President. This group is citing the Benue Senator’s performance as a stabilising factor while he was in charge of the National Assembly as one major reason why he should succeed Saraki.

    The current zoning arrangement, according to some Senators, also favors the return of Mark. “There is no need to alter the current zoning arrangement so as to avoid crises. Saraki is from the North-Central and Mark is from the same zone. So, the safest thing to do is to support Mark for the job. His pedigree as a performer will also win us votes across party lines,” our source said.

  • Saraki rejects Sani-Omolori’s appointment as NASS clerk

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Friday rejected the appointment of Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly.

    Saraki asked that Sani-Omolori’s letter of appointment be withdrawn immediately as his promotion did not follow due process.

    He said Mr. Benedict Efeturi who is Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly and who has previously acted as the Clerk of the National Assembly ought to have been “ the first to be considered” for the position.

    The Senate President in an April 22 memo titled: “Withdrawal of letter of appointment of Acting Clerk of the National Assembly” to the Executive Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission, Dr. Adamu M. Fika, wondered why the Commission ignored the directive that it should follow due process and ensure that seniority is considered in the appointment of a new clerk of the National Assembly.

    Mr. Sani-Omolori was appointed on Tuesday to replace Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa who is scheduled to proceed on terminal leave on May 14.

    Since the appointment of Omolori, tongues have been wagging over why seniority was not followed in the appointment.

    Saraki in the memo signed by his chief of staff, Isa Galaudu, said: “Please recall that during your last meeting with the President of the Senate on April 20, 2016, the procedure of the appointment of the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly was discussed.

    “The Commission was directed to follow due process and ensure that seniority is adhered to. Of course, Mr. Benedict Efeturi who is Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly and who has previously acted as the Clerk of the National Assembly should be the first to be considered.

    “Most importantly, you have been directed to confer with the President of the Senate the outcome of the Commission’s meeting before a letter of appointment is issued and regrettably that did not happen.

    “The President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives were informed that Mr. Efeturi was not considered for the appointment because he was not duly appointed as Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly. On further enquiries, we found he was duly appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission.

    “Consequently, I am directed by His Excellency, the President of the Senate, to inform you that the letter appointing Mr. Sani Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly be withdrawn immediately for further consultations.”

  • CCT rejects Saraki’s motion querying Umar’s integrity

    … Tribunal’s chairman, Saraki’s lawyer in hot exchange

    The Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, on Thursday rejected the motion filed by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, querying his (Umar) integrity.

    The Senate president in the motion urged the CCT chairman to disqualify himself from further presiding over the asset falsification trial.

    Umar described the motion filed for Saraki’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, as “rubbish, unmeritorious and a distraction.”

    He described the lawyer as a busy-body and a stranger to proceedings before the court.

    Saraki filed the motion on Wednesday, questioning Umar’s integrity and demanding that he withdraw from the trial.

    He claimed that Umar was being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying he was likely to be manipulated by the EFCC to arrive at a decision favourable for the prosecution.

    At the commencement of proceedings, Adebayo Adelodun (SAN) who led the defence team, yielded ground for Oluyede to introduce his motion.

    Oluyede said the motion contained reliefs, including an order asking Umar to disqualify himself from further presiding over the case on the ground that he was being investigated for bribery.

    Lead prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), interjected and said the application had not received the ‎approval of the lead defence lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who  was initially absent at the proceedings.

    Jacobs noted that Oluyede was not yet a lawyer in the case, because when he (Oluyede) filed the motion on Wednesday, he was yet to be recognised as a member of the defence team.

    At that point, the tribunal chairman intervened.

    He passed a copy of the EFCC letter  absolving him of the bribery allegation, on which Oluyede’ motion was predicated.

    Umar noted that Oluyede had filed similar application before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a fundamental rights suit, which Justice Adamu Abdu Kafarati dismissed last Friday as being unmeritorious and constituting an abuse of court’s process.

    “As far as this tribunal is concerned, this application (motion) has not been filed. It is rubbish and it is hereby thrown out,” Umar declared.

    He directed Oluyede to sit down to enable the tribunal proceeds with the business of the day, which was the continuation of the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas.

    Oluyede ignored Umar’s directive, insisting that he will proceed with his motion. He accused Umar of having “too many cloudy relationships with the EFCC,” adding that “This is part of the reasons we asked you to excuse yourself.”

    Umar interrupted him, threatening to commit the lawyer to prison should he persist to insult the tribunal.

    When Oluyede refused to sit down, but made attempt to proceed with his argument, Umar ordered the police orderlies in court to take him (the lawyer) away.

    The policemen were reluctant to carry out Umar’ directive, following which Jacob intervened and appealed for calm.

    Jacobs urged Umar to be patient, noting that the EFCC had since March 15 cleared him of the allegations.

    “My lord be patient, we will handle the application as we effectively did at the Federal High Court. We will expose the frivolity of the application even to the person who filed it,” Jacobs said.

     

  • Saraki renews efforts to stall trial at CCT

    Saraki renews efforts to stall trial at CCT

    Following his failed attempt to procure an order of the Federal High Court to disqualify Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Danladi Umar from his trial, Senate President Bukola Saraki has applied directly to the tribunal to have its Chairman disqualified.

    In the application filed at the CCT’s Registry on Tuesday, Saraki, through his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, is raising the same issue of rights violation, which he canvassed in the fundamental rights enforcement suit that Justice Adamu Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja dismissed in a judgment on April 15.

    Just as in the suit before the federal High Court, Saraki is contending in the fresh application that he would likely not get fair trial because Umar was allegedly being investigated on allegation of corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the same agency which is conducting his (Saraki’s) prosecution before the CCT.

    He alleged that since the CCT Chairman was being investigated, he was likely to be manipulated by the Executive to give a judgment that favours the prosecution. He argued that the current composition of the tribunal would not guarantee its fairness and impartiality.

    Justice Kafarati, had while resolving this issue in his April 15 judgment on the suit by Saraki, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/905/2015, noted that the anxiety being expressed by Saraki was unfounded. And that the fear expressed by Saraki, to the effect that he will not get justice at the CCT, was “speculative, misplaced and has no place in law.”

    The judge, who said his court will not restrain statutory bodies from performing their statutory responsibilities, said it was wrong for Saraki to have come under the fundamental rights proceedings in seeking to quash his criminal trial.

    Justice Kafarati, who concluded that the case was without merit, held the view that the case constituted a gross abuse of court’s process.

    The Nation learnt yesterday that the tribunal has said it will not hear the application now as it is only intended to distract the tribunal from the on-going trial.

    The tribunal, it was further learnt, has said since the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 allows a court to decide any objection along with the substantive case, it could take the application and render its decision while delivering judgment at the end of the trial.

    As at yesterday, the prosecution, led by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), refused to accept service of the application on the ground, among others, that it was filed by a strange lawyer, Oluyede, who had not been part of Saraki’s legal team since the trial commenced before the CCT.

    Since former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu (SAN), ceased to appear in the case, the defence team had been led by former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who has never announced Oluyede as a member of his team.

    During yesterday’s proceedings, the defence continued its cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas, who said he never met the defendant in person in the course of the investigation and that he did not personally interrogate him, but his colleagues did.

    “My investigation, like I said in my evidence in chief,  was an off shoot of a report of suspicious personal and companies accounts transactions relating to the defendant.

    “And we commenced investigation and discovered that there were massive lodgements in the personal account by his bank accounts managers in GTB and other employee of the bank.

    “Part of those making the lodgements were also his aides while he was the executive governor. And we discovered that most of these names were also found to be fictitious.

    “The lodgements and several loans that were disbursed to the defendant were part of in-flows into the account.

    “We discovered that these funds were used to acquire properties. A substantial part of the money was used to acquire properties that are subject of trial before this tribunal. And a substantial part of it was also transferred into this credit card issued by American Express Bank.So, basically, my investigation was on money laundering,” the witness said

    When asked by defence lawyer Paul Usoro (SAN), who took over the cross-examination after Agabi stopped, whether he (the witness) met Saraki in relation to the investigation of count 11, which relates to allegation of the defendant’s operation of foreign account, Wetkas said he did not meet the defendant personally.

    He also added “I did not have account package opening on foreign account. I have seen evidence of transfers and transaction to foreign accounts. Since I did not see any evidence of complaint from the defendant that his money was transferred to another person’s account outside Nigeria, that was sufficient for me to be convinced that he has foreign accounts.”

    He said foreign partners were contacted on information about details about the foreign account. “It is still on-going. They have not fully obliged us with the information,” Wetkas said.

    The trial resumes today at 10 am.

  • Cost of not disowning Saraki

    Again, let us remind ourselves how we got to this sorry pass. For ease of administration, the framers of our constitution expect the ruling party with a majority to produce the Senate President and deputy.  But Saraki after cutting a deal which ceded the deputy senate presidency to the opposition, capitalized on the absence of 51 of his elected APC colleagues to be adopted Senate President by 49 PDP senators and eight APC senators. Itse Sagay described Saraki’s coup as ‘a victory for impunity, a victory for fraud and a victory for political desperation and indiscipline”, while Auwalu Yadudu, former Dean of a Faculty of Law, Bayero University Kano dismissed it as ‘lies in the face of democratic ideals’ since Saraki’s emergence stemmed from ‘a flawed election by a fraction of yet-to-be-constituted Senate.

    With the unwavering support of 51 betrayed APC senators, this column had suggested APC should wield the big stick by disowning Saraki for his perfidy. But the party decided to play the ostrich and by default gave Saraki time to cut further deals with some marketable commodities driven only by greed in the Senate.  With power of patronage obtained albeit immorally, Saraki soon had 82 ‘like minds senators’ who shared his world-view in his pocket. But last week, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Chairman of APC was reported to have foreclosed the possibility of the party losing the senate presidency to the opposition but was also quick to add ‘sometimes, for change to take place, there is price you have to pay. So losing the position may be sacrifice for change.” Unfortunately what Oyegun is now trying to do is locking the stable door long after the horse had escaped. The party lost the control of the Senate the moment Saraki, the veteran dealer sold the deputy senate seat to the opposition.

    APC decided to play the ostrich long after Saraki, who was haunted out of PDP over haggling over sharing of loot (He was the whistle blower in the N1.6trillion fuel scam involving some PDP leading lights and their children who in turn identified a company in which Saraki had an interest as beneficiary) had made a choice of returning to his vomit. It was obvious to discerning Nigerians except APC leadership that Saraki’s strategy was to adorn APC toga of change while working feverishly to undermine the party’s anti-corruption war with the connivance of defeated PDP national wreckers. Had APC wielded the big stick, Saraki would have been fighting his current battle with CCT not as the third most powerful figure in APC government but as part of discredited PDP that looted Nigeria through NNPC, PPPRA, privatization and monetization policies. Saraki would have been in the midst of his unpatriotic PDP members who shared $2.1 loan meant to buy arms to fight insurgency that has killed over 18,000 innocent Nigerians and rendered about two million others refugees in their own country.

    APC is therefore responsible for the nation’s current nightmare. Most Nigerians knew a Saraki/Ekweremadu Senate as an offshoot of David Mark/Ekweremadu Senate that looked the other way while their PDP members stole the country blind would continue business as usual. Predictably, the Senate remains a senate of shame while the House remains house of deals. An institution whose essence besides making laws, and amending budget or repealing public policy is to guarantee freedom and prevent tyranny is intolerant of dissent even among its ranks. While Saraki supporters insist the call on him to account for deals he made some 12 years earlier is an attack on the Senate as an institution, Marafa who disagreed claiming “What is happening in the CCT is personal to Saraki and has nothing to do with his position as the Senate President’ was recommended for suspension Senator Anyawu-led committee.

    The 2016 Budget was submitted to the House in December last year, Audu Ogbeh, the agriculture minister and his team early this week discovered 386 “strange” projects worth N12.6billion reportedly inserted by the National Assembly in the ministry’s budget proposals. That was not before the House had reduced ministry’s budget proposals fromN40, 918 billion to N31.618 billion to accommodate their own constituency projects which for years served only as conduit pipes. The Minister of Transport raised an alarm about the cancellation of the Lagos – Calabar rail project. We now know it was partly to accommodate Dogara’s N3b constituency projects as well Abdulmumin Jibrin, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation’s constituency projects such as provision of tricycles, town halls, classrooms, solar street lights, and pedestrian bridges. This is the mindset of those who adopt ethnic balancing to impoverish the north by pretending to fight for the north. This was what informed Nuhu Ribadu’s (former EFCC chairman) sad conclusion that ‘the 19 northern state governors and the 414 local governments have nothing to show for the N8.3 trillion that accrued to them between 1999 and 2010.’

    Sadly in both Houses controlled by APC, it is business as usual.  Ex-governors as senators are drawing N1.2m pension along with their undisclosed huge salaries that rank as one of the highest in the world and greedy lawmakers after obtaining car loans, went ahead in spite of Buhari’s call for caution to buy 108 exotic cars at a cost of N35.1m a unit at a time about 25 states of the federation cannot pay the minimum wage of N18, 000. In return for their pains, we have  a  National Grazing Reserve Bill which will establish a National Grazing Reserve Commission (NGRC) using federal government fund to acquire farm lands from the 36 states of the federation for private cattle farmers, perhaps as compensation  for the killing of thousands of innocent Nigerian farmers by Fulani herdsmen already declared by the UN as one of the deadliest  terrorist groups in the world  with nothing being said about their victims;  the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges  and Public Petition headed  by an Anyawu, notorious only for following Saraki to  Code of Conduct Tribunal, summoning the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar who had just ruled that Saraki’s trial for alleged falsification of assets will run on daily basis, over a petition against his assistant. And there is also an on-going self-serving attempt by the two houses  to amend the Code of Conduct  Bureau  Tribunal Act and Administration of Criminal Justice Act, all aimed at sabotaging President Buhari’s anti-corruption war.

    But Nigerians who performed their own patriotic duty of voting out inept and corrupt PDP government are holding Buhari and APC responsible for their nightmare. If Saraki had been disowned after demonstrating he cannot be a trusted ally in the battle for change, disillusioned  Nigerians would have been reassured that the current raging battle is between forces of darkness  that  shared our national patrimony  and mortgaged the future of our children and forces of  light trying to usher in the much desired change. But APC cannot afford to fail those who have internalized its message of hope.  The party must reinvent itself by publicly disowning Saraki and his fellow travellers in the Senate of shame and in the House of deals. Impoverished Nigerian victims of PDP’s 16 years crime against our nation are tenaciously holding on to Jega’s Permanent Voters Cards, (PVC), and a veritable weapon against greedy and self-serving corrupt politicians.

  • We, not Saraki, are the guilty ones

    SIR: As Michael Wetkas, the EFCC operative who conducted the forensic analysis of Bukola Saraki’s accounts gave testimony before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, it immediately became as clear why Saraki tried everything possible to stall his trial. As the detective reeled out his findings, one wondered how Kwara State still managed to exist on the map after the scale of alleged pilfering.

    Imagine lodging between N600 to N900,000 fifty times in one day to a bank just to beat the one million naira threshold that would hve triggered an automatic red flag to the Serious Fraud in the Office of the Nigeria Police Force Officers and the Financial Intelligence Unit of the EFCC .

    Despite this, Saraki is not guilty.

    Nigerians are the guilty ones for keeping quiet while Societe Generale Bank was brought to its knees by this same Saraki. As a student of University of Lagos College of Medicine where Societe Generale Bank was the only rival to the old haggard Union Bank in Idi-Araba, I personally watched the

    horror show of the collapse of that bank.

    There was no restitution. No one went to jail for gross financial mismanagement. The only one who escaped the horror was Jay Jay Okocha who was indemnified his huge losses by the government because of his celebrity status as a national soccer icon. Many others were not so lucky. Nurses, doctors and students were left to scramble for furniture and tables in lieu of their life savings at the collapse of Societe Generale Bank.

    Yet, the unrepentant architect of this grand collapse was elevated to the Government House. Yes, the state treasury is his reward for being born with a silver spoon into the political dynasty

    of the privilege. Stomach infrastructure replaced good governance and now we want to blame Saraki for doing what “others” were doing. That is the social fabric of Nigeria. We love our captors who have

    held us hostage for so long that Stockholm syndrome has set in.

    Why should 60 SAN’S leave their booming practice to defend a Senate President when only one can speak in court at a time? Why should 30 to 90 Senators follow Saraki to court in a show of

    solidarity without thinking twice about what their constituencies think and feel about this incident?

    Besides, the courts are as lame as a lame duck thus are unlikely to find a big and powerful man guilty when he can hire a battalion of SAN’S.

    Saraki is not guilty. We all are. How many Nigerians can resist the trappings of power enriched by Ghana Must Gos of hard currency? How many can think of the suffering masses when their generations yet unborn have not been catered for so that the dynasty may live on?

    In less than 24 hours, the Panama papers has forced out the Prime Minister of Iceland. Saraki soldiers on because he is not guilty. Who will dare protest against him in Kwara State after eating his Amala? Who will dare call for his resignation after enjoying special status under him?

    Saraki is innocent. We are the guilty ones.

     

    • Usman Mohammed,

    IBB University, Lapai-Niger State.

  • Saraki renew moves to disqualify CCT chairman from trial

    Saraki renew moves to disqualify CCT chairman from trial

    Following his failed attempt to procure an order of the Federal High Court to disqualify the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, from his trial, Senate President, Bukola Saraki has applied directly to the tribunal to have its chairman disqualified.

    In the application filed at the CCT’s Registry on April 19, Saraki, through his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, is raising the same issue of rights violation, which he canvassed in the fundamental rights enforcement suit that Justice Adamu Abadu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja dismissed in a judgment on April 15.

    Just as in the suit before the federal High Court, Saraki is contending in the fresh application that he would likely not get fair trial because Umar was allegedly being investigated for corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the same agency which is conducting his (Saraki’s) prosecution before the CCT.

    He alleged that since the CCT chairman was being investigated, he was likely to be manipulated by the Executive to give a judgment that favours the prosecution.

    He argued that the current composition of the tribunal would not guaranty its fairness and impartiality.

  • CCT rejects Saraki’s request for one week adjournment

    CCT rejects Saraki’s request for one week adjournment

    The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Tuesday rejected the plea by Senate President, Bukola Saraki for a one week adjournment in his trial for false asset declaration.

    CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, in a ruling held that having earlier directed the that proceedings in the trial would be held day-to-day, it would be wrong for the tribunal to grant the defendant’s request for a week adjournment when there was no compelling reason.

    Umar noted that the defence team, including about 10 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, did not raise any objection on Monday when the tribunal elected to conduct proceedings on daily basis.

    He also noted that the defence team, upon its request, was promptly provided with all documents tendered during Monday’s proceeding by the prosecution.

    The CCT chairman further held that having agreed to commence the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness on Monday, a process that continued on Tuesday, a week’s adjournment would disrupt the flow of the witness and the court’s observation of the witness’ testimony.

    Umar, who upheld argument by the lead prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), rejected the argument by Paul Usoro (SAN) for the defendant that the provision of Section 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 conflicts with the provision of Section 36 of the Constitution in relation to the right of the defendant in a criminal trial for adequate time to prepare for his defence.

     

  • Saraki won’t benefit from amendment of CCB/CCT Law – Senate

    Saraki won’t benefit from amendment of CCB/CCT Law – Senate

    The Senate on Tuesday clarified its position on the proposed amendment of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

    The upper chamber said the proposed amendment will not affect the ongoing case of its President, Bukola Saraki before the tribunal.

    A statement issued by Chairman of Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said many of the comments on the proposed amendments were made by those who have neither read the bill nor understood the principles behind it.

    Abdullahi said since the Saraki case commenced in 2015, any amendment of the law in 2016 cannot retroactively affect an ongoing case.

    He added that the proposed amendment would still take a minimum of six months given the long process that law making requires.

    According to him, the processes include committee hearing, public hearing, report back to Senate committee of the whole, the concurrence in the House of Representatives and assent by the President at the final stage.

    He said, “There is no way we will even complete the process of finally effecting the amendments before the completion of the Saraki case. So those who read selfish or ulterior motives to this ordinary legislative activity are either mischievous or ignorant of legislative procedures.”

    Abdullahi noted that the sole aim of the amendment was to give effect to the right to fair hearing as enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution and the recent pronouncements of the Supreme Court.