CCT:Saraki may resign any moment as senators mount pressure

ABUJA – AHEAD of the expected judgment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, following yesterday’s commencement of his trial over false assets declaration when he held sway as governor of Kwara State, Senate President, Bukola Saraki may throw in the towel by resigning from his position any movement from now, Vanguard learnt.

In other not to be humiliated while on the throne, some senators including those who had vowed to remain with him to the end of his trial at the anti-graft court, yesterday, asked the Senate President to consider the resignation option so as to save the Senate, as an institution. 

 The option was thrown to him at a special meeting held by a group of some loyal senators, who followed him to his Maitama residence, shortly after the end of yesterday’s trial at the court. But as Saraki is considering the option, senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, appeared to be at loggerhead with their counterparts in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over the Senate President’s successor. While the APC senators are insisting on producing Saraki’s successor, those of the PDP are favorably disposed to anointing one of their own, a development that has further polarized the Red Chamber.

 A senator of the PDP fold, who spoke to Vanguard late yesterday, but on condition that his identity would not be mentioned, said Saraki was given the option of resigning basically to save the institution of the legislature. ‘”I can confirm to you that at a special meeting held yesterday, we asked the Senate President to consider the option of resignation. “We believe that doing so would preserve the institution of the Senate, “he said, refusing to speak further. 

Asked whether the Senate President was considering the resignation option, the lawmaker said ‘” this was just thrown at him this evening. We believe that he would do the right thing.'”. Meanwhile, names of senators Abdullahi Adamu, representing Nasarawa West from the APC and Suleiman Adokwe of the PDP were being touted as possible replacements of the Senate President to press time.

Commissioner–nominees, others to write aptitude test

Nominees for appointments as commissioners in Cross
River State are to undergo mandatory integrity and
aptitude test, even as the state governor, Prof. Ben
Ayade, has already set up a selection committee to
oversee the process.

A statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the Governor, Mr. Christian Ita, said the nominees would have to undergo the aptitude test before their names would be forwarded to the state House of Assembly for confirmation.

The statement disclosed that appointment of chairmen and members of boards, agencies and parastatals and even special advisers would go through the same routine.

“Governor Ayade wants all nominees for appointments as commissioners to undergo integrity test. They will also write an aptitude test,” the statement said
According to the statement, the governor believes that
every would-be appointee in the state must be subjected to ethical measurement to ascertain whether or not they can function in the new order, where accountability and transparency are the watchwords.

Consequently, the governor has set up a selection
committee to oversee the process.

According to the statement “Renowned Abuja-based
lawyer, Mr. Paul Erokoro, is the chairman of the
committee which has prominent woman leader and
politician, Mrs. Grace Ekanem and Chief of Staff to the
Governor, Mr. Martin Orim as members.”

In another development, Governor Ayade has terminated the contract for the evacuation of refuse in Calabar.

This follows the inability of the contracted firms, PATSON and PACLISON to evacuate refuse from the streets of Calabar.

It will be recalled that during a tour of the metropolis
shortly after assuming office, Governor Ayade had given the contractors a three-month ultimatum to improve on the sanitary condition of the metropolis with a view to restoring its rightful status as the cleanest and greenest state in the country.

Army approves promotion for 5,000 soldiers fighting Boko Haram

Abuja—The Nigeria Army has approved the promotion of 5,000 soldiers fighting insurgents in the North-East and others involved in other operations, as part of steps to boost their morale.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, made the announcement yesterday in Abuja, at the opening of the 2015 Chief of Army Staff Third Quarter conference at Army Headquarters.

He said that the approval of the promotion of the soldiers was one of the many measures introduced by the Army under his command to boost troops’ morale and reposition its operations.

He added that it was also in line with the vision of the
Army command to reward gallant troops in any way
deemed fit to boost their combat readiness and
willingness to serve fatherland.

He said that troops serving in the North-East and in other operations in the country would regularly receive rewards from the Army High Command for their selfless service to the nation.

Lt.-Gen. Buratai said: “Since we came on board, we have introduced several measures aimed at encouraging our troops to give their best in the service of their nation.

“The approval of the accelerated promotion of 5,000
soldiers was to redeem the promise made by my
predecessor to the troops fighting insurgents in the
North-East.

“It is my belief that this promotion, coupled with other
incentives, will encourage our troops to fight for our
country.”

The COAS charged the officers and all personnel of the
Nigeria Army to constantly maintain the required level of physical fitness.

Senior lawyers know corrupt judges —CJN

THE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud
Mohammed,said senior lawyers in the country know corrupt judges, in view of their unguarded utterances, accusing the judiciary of corruption.

Speaking during a special session of the Supreme Court to mark the commencement of the 2015/2016 legal year and swearing-in of newly conferred Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Justice Mohammed urged senior lawyers to fish out the identity of the corrupt judges, so that they can be properly dealt with by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

“I regard as unfortunate, unguarded comments of some
prominent members of the Bar, that the Judiciary is corrupt.

Such comments coming from the members of the Bar means that they know the identity of the corrupt judges and as such, they should fish them out to be dealt with by the NJC,” Justice Mohammed stated.

He reiterated that for the country to truly expect a
steadfast, impartial and noble institution, the Judiciary must be truly independent, adding that the Supreme Court was currently working towards the introduction of court automation, so as to address issues of delay, corruption and inefficiency in our judicial system.

Commenting on calls for the abolition of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria by some Legal Practitioners, the CJN said the conferment of the rank of SAN was a privilege conferred in accordance with section 5 (1) of the Legal Practitioners Act by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, adding that “it is, indeed, a statutorily recognised privilege.

“As much as I will concede that the system of conferment may require reforms, its abolition will be tantamount to proverbially throwing away the baby with the bath water. In any event, none of us here can decisively abolish the rank,”he said.

The CJN, however, said, it was only the National Assembly that can abolish it via a bill of both chambers and urged legal practitioners to close ranks and seek constructive solutions to the challenges confronting the legal profession.

On his part, the president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Augustine Alegeh (SAN) condemned the face-off between the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the Federal High Court in Abuja over the 13 count charge preferred against the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, saying it was an unnecessary distraction.

The NBA boss said “the constitutional hierarchy of our
courts is well settled and we urge all to respect it. This is not good for our judiciary. Let wise counsel prevail.”

Federal High court fixes Sept. 30 to hear Saraki’s case

Abuja – The Federal High Court has fixed Sept. 30 to hear the case filed by the Senate President, Sen.
Bukola Saraki, asking the court to stop the Code of
Conduct Tribunal from trying him.

Saraki is charged with false declaration of assets by the Code of Conduct Bureau at the tribunal.

The judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, after listening to
arguments from counsel to parties in the matter, ruled
that the suit was ripe for hearing.

“ Since all the parties have filed relevant documents, this case is ripe for hearing and in order not to waste the court’s time, the case is adjourned to Sept.30 for
hearing.’’

Counsel to Saraki, Adebayo Adelodun, had said that in
spite of the notice served on the tribunal by the Federal
High Court, it had gone ahead to entertain the matter.

He drew the attention of the court to a statement made
by the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar,
that the court could not summon it because it had
coordinate jurisdiction with the court.

Counsel to the Federal Government Taiwo Abidogun,
however, argued that Ministry of Justice, Code of Conduct Bureau and Code of Conduct Tribunal had not received any notice from the court.

Abidogun said that was why the tribunal sat on Friday
and issued a bench warrant against the Senate President.

He said that even if service was made, it must have come after the tribunal had risen.

Mohammed, however, corrected Abidogun and provided
evidence to show that the notice was actually served the respondents.

Okonjo Iweala speaks about her new jobs.

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, on Monday, expressed joy over her new job to join the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, founded by Bill and Melinda Gates.

The former finance minister, had also announced that she will also be joining US investment bank, Lazard’s
sovereign advice division.

Okonjo-Iweala who tweeted via her Twitter handle,
@NOIweala said: “I’m excited to join GAVI to immunize
300 million more children in the next five years and save 5 million to 6 million more lives.”

The new portfolios, however, follow her second stint as
Nigeria’s finance minister, which ended in May after the
Goodluck Jonathan-led government was voted out of
office. Okonjo-Iweala has spent the past three decades working on fiscal management and governance systems in Africa through 25 years at the World Bank, most recently as a managing director, and twice as finance minister in what is now the continent’s biggest economy.

She has although, recently come under sharp criticisms
particularly by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, over issues bordering on alleged corruption in the last administration.

Okonjo-Iweala has argued that her work on transparency and anti-corruption as finance minister under both Mr Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo has been unfairly “brushed aside.”

Saraki Trial: Code Of Conduct Tribunal Erred By Disobeying Order Of ‘Superior’ Court – Agbakoba, Adegboruwa

A former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Chief
Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has faulted the Code of Conduct Tribunal for declaring itself at par with the Federal High Court.

The former NBA president was reacting to the issuance of a bench warrant for the arrest of Senate President Bukola Saraki by the CCT on Friday.

Represented by Mahmud Magaji (SAN) and another ex-NBA President Joseph Daudu (SAN), Saraki had raised objections to his trial by the tribunal citing the non-appointment of a substantive Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as well as a pending ruling of the Federal High Court, which had summoned both chairmen of the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCT and a Deputy Director in the Federal
Ministry of Justice, Musiliu Hassan, who filed the case at the tribunal on behalf of the Federal Government.
In his ruling on Saraki’s objections, the presiding judge,
Justice Danladi Umar, said that the tribunal took notice of the fact that there was no AGF at the moment.

He further held that the absence of the AGF does not stop the filing of a criminal charge adding that in the absence of the AGF, the Solicitor General can institute such charge.

On that ground, the tribunal knocked off the accused’s
argument. On the issue of a pending ruling, the tribunal held that the Federal High Court has the same jurisdiction with it, and hence, it was not binding by its ruling.

Justice Umar, therefore, gave the go-ahead for the trial to continue.

Reacting to the ruling, Mr. Agbakoba said the CCT was wrong to say that it was a court of equal jurisdiction with the Federal High Court.

“There are two kinds of courts in Nigeria, superior and
inferior. All the superior courts are defined in Section 6 of the constitution; it does not include the Code of Conduct Bureau, it does not include the National Industrial court”, he said.

According to him, “The Code of Conduct Bureau is not a
superior court; it is an inferior court and because it is an inferior court, it is amenable to the judicial review jurisdiction of a superior court of record like the Federal High Court”.

The Federal High Court, the former NBA president noted, is empowered by law to review the judicial work of the Code of Conduct Tribunal because it is an inferior court.

This same line of argument was supported by Ebun
Adegboruwa, who described the Tribunal’s action as an
assault on rule of law.

“What the Code of Conduct Tribunal did in spite of the order of the High Court amounts to judicial abuse of the due process of the rule of law and amounts to judicial rascality on the part of the serving judge of Code of Conduct Tribunal”.

Adegboruwa said the Tribunal was under the supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court, adding that the option left for the Tribunal was to approach the court that gave the order to either challenge it or vacate it.

He said, “It will amount to total anarchy for the parties
affected by an order to decide whether or not to obey the order. So, to that extent, the bench warrant issued against the Senate President is ultra vires, it has no place in law and cannot be enforced, because if the order of the High Court to the tribunal was not enforced also the bench warrant of the tribunal to the Senate President cannot be enforced.

You cannot use wrong to achieve a right