Senate President Bukola Saraki’s legal team, led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), on Thursday withdrew from representing their client at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) after the tribunal refused to suspend the case to allow the Supreme Court conclude the appeal before it.
Saraki had gone to the Supreme Court to appeal the judgement of the Court of Appeal giving legal standing to the trial of under-declaration of assets as governor of Kwara State.
The lawyers to the Senate President said they could no longer stand the process of trial as being carried out by tribunal chairman.
Two of his lawyers, Ahmed Magaji and Ahmed Raji (both Senior Advocate of Nigeria), stormed out of the court leaving their client, who is facing a 13-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and false declaration of assets, to his fate after their argument that the case be stood down for the Supreme Court to take a decision was not taken by the CCT chaired by Umar Danladi.
The lawyers accused the CCT chairman of judicial rascality. They said the situation was strange.
“It is not done anywhere that a matter is pending before a higher court, as the one in the Supreme Court and proceedings will continue in a smaller court,” Magaji said in protest before storming out of the premises without permission to withdraw his appearance.
But Raji, thereafter, asked to be allowed to step down from the case after arguing that the Section 306 referred to an application for stay of proceeding before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, not the Supreme Court in this matter.
After his argument, Danladi had ruled that the hearing should continue after an hour recess, but when the CCT resumed, Danladi ruled that the proceedings should continue and this was when the two counsels stormed out of the tribunal.
Upon arriving at the dock, Saraki was asked if he would continue proceedings without his lawyers or request for time to get lawyers.
He pleaded to be given a month to do that, but the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacob, argued that the time was too long and that he should be given 11 days.
The tribunal chairman then adjourned the case till Thursday, 19th November.
Saraki was first arraigned on 18th September after he refused in the first two sittings to appear.
