CCT shifts rulings on Saraki’s motion, Orubebe’s judgment to Sept

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has shifted the trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, particularly the ruling on his motion seeking to disqualify CCT chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar, from further participating in the trial till September this year.

CCT said in a statement signed by Alhaji Ibrahim Al-hassan on Tuesday that its ruling and sitting which was adjourned for today will not hold in view of the vacation of courts and tribunals across the country.

The press statement did not however give a specific date that the trial and the ruling will resume in September but Al-hassan hinted that the date would be fixed as soon as the tribunal returns from vacation, and that parties would be duly communicated on a new date.

Aside Saraki, others who are also to wait till September to know their fates in the charges of false assets declaration brought against them by the Federal Government include former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, whose judgment had earlier been fixed for July 19.

Also to wait till after vacation is former Deputy Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Mr. Rasheed Taiwo Owolabi, who had also prayed for the disqualification of Umar on the ground of demand of N10 million bribe from him.

Owolabi had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the alleged N10 million bribe demand prompting the anti-graft agency to summon and interrogate the CCT boss.

The statement from CCT read in part: “The Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Honourable Danladi Yakubu Umar, on Tuesday, adjourned all sittings scheduled for this week and those to come within July and August till after the resumption from recess to be embarked by the Tribunal’s Judges soon.

“The decision was taken due to the ongoing Roundtable Discussion involving CCT and other critical stakeholders within and outside the country, to develop the Code of Ethics and Practice Directions for the Code of Conduct Tribunal to ensure fair and speedy trials, sponsored by European Union (EU) and implemented by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC).

“He however assured that litigants currently with cases before the court would have their new dates shortly after the vacation, September, which would be communicated to them appropriately.

“The Tribunal regrets the pains caused by the sudden change.”