Saraki Stalls Trial Again, Challenges CCT’s Jurisdiction

The efforts of the federal government to prosecute Senate President Bukola Saraki for alleged false declaration of assets as governor of Kwara State suffered another setback on Friday following the filing of a new motion by Saraki challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter and the power of the Attorney General of the Federation to initiate the charge.

At the resumed trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) sitting in Abuja, Saraki’s new counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, told the tribunal that he had filed a new motion and that the motion should be heard and determined by the tribunal before going to the main business of the day.

“A party is entitled to be heard no matter how weak or feeble his argument may be”, he said.
According to him, the defence had earlier served the Ministry of Justice with the notice of the motion and it is pertinent for the matter to be heard first before anything else.
However, counsel to the Federal Government, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, objected on the grounds that he was not aware of the motion, adding that the defence did not serve him. He therefore urged the court to proceed with the day’s business.
While stating that the move is aimed at scuttling the trial so that the matter would not go on as planned, Jacobs told the tribunal that a motion had earlier been filed by the defence challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal and was resolved at the Supreme Court, which upheld the ruling of the tribunal.