Senate President, Bukol Saraki and some governors of APC controlled states, particularly from the southern part of the country as well as some national leaders of the party failed to attend the crucial meeting of the National Executive Council of the APC in Abuja.
There was heavy security around the national secretariat of the party ahead of the meeting with only a few journalists covering the party allowed into the secretariat to cover the meeting on Thursday.
The National Chairman of the party Chief John Odigie Oyegun who arrived the secretariat at exactly 9.10 was subjected to security checks by the Presidential guards before being allowed into the building.
Also absent at the meeting were Deputy Speaker, Suleiman Lasun, House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy Whip of the Senator, Francis Alimikhena among others.
Those who attended the NEC meeting include Speaker of the Housemof Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Ado Doguwa, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, former Zamfara state governor, Senator Ahmed Sani and labour leader, Hon. Peter Akpatason, Senators Dino Melaye and Binta Masi Garba.
Senate
President Bukola Saraki has failed in his bid to quash the 13-count of false
assets declaration, as the Code of Conduct Tribunal dismissed his application
yesterday.
Tribunal
Chairman Danladi Umar dismissed Saraki’s application on the grounds that it
lacked merit.
He
held that Saraki was wrong to have requested the tribunal to be guided by its
decision in the Bola Tinubu case.
Umar
said the tribunal could not rely on its decision in the Tinubu case, having in
subsequent cases departed from the position it took in the Tinubu case.
The
tribunal chairman upheld the argument of lead prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs
(SAN) that the CCT, in subsequent judgments, realised that its decision in FRN
v. Bola Tinubu was given per
incuriam (without due regard to the law or the facts) and had
departed from it and followed the constitution’s provision.
He
held that Paragraph 3 (e) of Part 1 of the 3rd Schedule to the 1999
Constitution removed and omitted the proviso (in Section 3 (d) of the Code of
Conduct Bureau and Tribunal (CCB/T) Act requiring written admission or denial.
“That
proviso that is repeated in Section 3 (d) of the CCB/T Act cannot be sustained
any longer under the 1999 Constitution. The decision in Tinubu’s case was given
per incuriam
and the tribunal should not follow such a decision,” he said.
Umar
faulted Saraki’s claim that it was wrong for the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)
to prosecute him about 15 years after he allegedly committed the offences of
false assets declaration.
The
CCT chairman agreed with Jacobs that since there was no time limit within which
an individual can submit a complaint of infraction or non-compliance with the
Code of Conduct, the defendant’s argument that once there was no official
complaint against him within a reasonable time of his submitting the
declaration he could no longer be investigated and prosecuted, could not stand.
He
noted that there could be no clearance by implication, unless it was expressly
stated by the statutes, adding that “time does not run against the state”.
“It
is not out of place to charge the accused person now and ask him to answer to
the charges against as there is no statute of limitation in relation to his
case,” Umar said.
The
CCT chairman rejected Saraki’s contention that the attorney general of the
federation (AGF) was without powers to initiate and prosecute cases before the
tribunal.
He
held that the AGF, empowered by the Constitution to intimate or take over
initiated criminal cases on behalf of the Federal Government, could initiate
and prosecute cases before the tribunal.
The
tribunal chairman noted that the defendant’s claim that he was denied fair
hearing having not been called to make a written statement before the filing of
the charge, could be raised later in the case.
He
held that such argument was premature and could be raised in the course of
hearing.
“The
motion by the defendant to quash the charge against him is refused. In the
final analyses, the tribunal assumes jurisdiction in this case. The prosecution
is to invite its witness,” he said.
After
the ruling, and upon enquiry by the CCT chairman about the next step, Jacobs
urged the tribunal to allow the prosecution to open its case.
“We
are ready for trial, my lord. And our witnesses are ready and are in court. Let
us open our case by calling our first witness, even if it is for five minutes,”
Jacobs said.
Lead
defence witness Kanu Agabi (SAN) objected to the commencement of trial. He said
the case was adjourned to yesterday for ruling.
Agabi
said the tribunal would create the impression that it had made up its mind,
before the ruling, to proceed with trial, even when the defence was challenging
its jurisdiction.
He
sought a fresh date for the commencement of trial.
Tribunal
chairman agreed with Agabi that it was unnecessary for the tribunal to rush
into trial. He noted that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA),
though seeks prompt determination of criminal cases, recognises the need for
the defendant to be given adequate time to prepare its defence.
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