CCT: Step down Saraki threatens Umar

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday challenged the threat by the Code of Conduct Tribunal Chair­man, Justice Danladi Umar, that the delay be­ing allegedly employed in his trial over false as­sets declaration will not reduce the consequences that he (Saraki) will meet from the tribunal at the end of trial.
Saraki claimed that the threat by Umar in the open court was a clear in­dication that the tribunal had made up its mind to convict him at all cost in respective of the evidenc­es before the tribunal.
The Senate President has, therefore, asked the CCT chairman to step aside from further hear­ing the trial initiated against him by the Fed­eral Government.

In a fresh Motion on Notice brought pursuant to Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, Saraki in­sisted that the tribunal chairman was in a hurry to convict him without giving him a fair hearing and a fair opportunity to defend himself.
In the motion filed by lead his Counsel, Mr Kanu Godwin Agabi (SAN), Saraki stated that the threat by CCT chairman was biased and cannot accord him a fair trial.
The motion predicated on eight grounds indi­cated that the threat of consequences issued by Umar has caused Saraki to lose confidence in the impartiality of the chair­man and that he is no longer confident that he can get justice from the tribunal if the chairman continues to participate in the hearing and de­termination of the case against him.
Part of the grounds of the motion was that the defendant (Saraki) has lost confidence in the ability of the tribu­nal chairman to conduct a fair trial and dispense justice according to law.