Traditional chiefs from the Ilorin Emirate Council, led by Magaji Nda Salihu Mohammed, along with the Legal department of the Senate president walked out on the Code of Conduct Tribunal, alleging bias against the Tribunal Chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar.
Challenging the prosecution of Saraki by the Federal Government, one of Saraki’s Legal Councel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), said, “I find it most impossible to sit down here and participate in a proceeding whose legality is being challenged at the Supreme Court.”
Justice Umar in his ruling, dismissed the application for adjournment and agreed with the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), that the trial must go ahead in spite of the appeal at the Supreme Court. The tribunal however ran into a hitch when no lawyer showed up to defend Saraki.
Saraki then pleaded for one month to enable him persuade his lawyers to come back or look for alternatives but the plea fell on deaf ears as the tribunal subsequently adjourned till November 19 for trial.
It would be recalled that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), had filed a 13-count charge against Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation claiming that the Senate President falsified the declaration of his assets .
