₦airaland Forum

My support for Saraki, a political gain for Kwara---Kwara PDP Scribe

NAN-H

Saraki

Ilorin, March 31, 2016 (NAN) Chief Rex Olawoye, Publicity Secretary of People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara, on Thursday in Ilorin said his supports for the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki is a political gain for the people of the state.

Olawoye, said this during interview with the newsmen when he was reacting against the continued trial of the Senate President by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

He said his statement should be viewed as a political gain for the people of the state rather than being tagged "a political statement."

He maintained he remains an active member of the PDP and added that politics should be seen as a beneficial game "when the benefits are overtly seen" and an ideology when there is a need "to be rigid".

The PDP spokesman had in Ilorin on Wednesday declared his support for Saraki against his trial by the CCT citing the alleged stance of the PDP on the issue at the national level.

"At the beginning of this episode on Saraki, he got the full supports of all the PDP senators at the Red Chambers and by an extension the supports of the party at the National level.

"That was what produced for us the post of the Deputy President of the Senate.

"Besides, whatever anyone would say, the state is at the driving seat today at the National Assembly and I see all these as drivable benefits from the occupation of the post of the office of the Senate President" Olawoye said.

He recalled how he had worked with Saraki's father (late Olusola Saraki) and how he was allegedly influential to the emergence of Saraki as the Governor of Kwara some 13 years ago.

"Even though our political views no longer tally today, I remember on how i risked my life for him when the going was rough against the then incumbent Governor (late Mohammed Lawal).

"I will therefore not want the house we jointly build to collapse" He added.

Reacting to the Kwara PDP scribe's position, his counterparts in the APC,  Alhaji Sulaiman Buhari, commended Olawoye for separating politics of bitterness and that of development.

He added that his position has vindicated what his party stands for.

"Chief Olawoye, is an elder statesman who understands what is going on with the Senate President's trial at the CCT.

"The office of the Senate President belongs to all Nigerians and a huge gain to the people of North Central especially Kwara State" Buhari said.(NAN)

Background

On Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016 Sahara Reporters published an article on the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s case at the Federal High Court, Abuja, that several legal professionals have called a dangerous judicial precedent.

The article in question, which was entitled “Billionaire Judge Withdraws From Saraki’s Case Over Saharareporters Investigative Report”, bragged about how Justice Abdukadir Abdu-Kafarati of a Federal High Court in Abuja withdrew from the case filed by the Senate President, which sought an order to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). The article took outright credit for making Justic Kafarati withdraw from the case, at it levied several misleading accusations that called into question the character of the judge.



In the Monday, March 21st, 2016 article entitled “Billionaire Judge To Rule Tuesday On Saraki’s Application To Quash Corruption Trial”, Sahara Reporters laid out a series of charges against Justice Kafarati based solely on suppositions, conjectures and presumptions, which have been since dispelled by relevant agencies of the Federal Government.

In Sahara Reporters’ claims, Kafarati had several petitions against him at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) based solely on the size of his personal net worth.

The Sahara Reporters piece went on to state that: “An EFCC investigation into [Kafarati’s] financial dealings shows [that] he was found with a vast treasure chest of N2billion in his private account.”

With these developments, Sahara Reporters cast aspersions on the competence and integrity of Justice Kafarati, which forced him to release a statement that said his honour had been “maligned by the reports.”

The Justice, went on to also state that:

“If I grant the prayers of the applicant. The reading public will say yes, the judge has been compromised. If I refuse the prayers, they will say the judge has been threatened or intimidated. The most honourable thing for me to do is to disqualify myself from this case. I hereby disqualify myself from this case and the file is returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment.”

However, in a shocking twist of events, the EFCC unexpectedly released a statement condemning the unauthorised use of its name by Sahara Reporters to subvert the cause of justice.

In the statement, the EFCC went on to describe the Sahara Reporters piece on Kafarati as “entirely the imagination of the authors.” This meant that Sahara Reporters lied to the general public simply to influence the decision of the court; a clear case of frying pans calling kettles black.

The EFCC went on to further state that “All allusions to the Commission’s investigation or documents in the said publication should be disregarded.” This meant that the financial watchdog had at no time revealed the details of any investigation into Kafarati’s wealth, real or imagined, to Sahara Reporters.

Banging the nail into the coffin, the EFCC ended its denial into Sahara Reporter’s claims by emphasising that at no time did it “share intelligence or reveal the content of any dossier it may have on any judge for that matter with any media organization either in Nigeria or abroad.”

Since then, Sahara Reporters has remained silent, failing to reveal where it got its alleged sources – if it had any in the first place. But, the damage had already been done. No retraction was printed. The Justice had already withdrawn. To Sahara Reporters, no retraction was necessary. Its agenda had already been fulfilled.

Dangerous Trends

Over the last few months, Sahara Reporters has started a dangerous trend of attempting to preempt and subvert the cause of justice by publishing false reports against public figures.

Once upon a time, the public looked to Sahara Reporters to expose the wrongdoings of the government. With its catchy slogan: “Report Yourself,” the Omoyele Sowore-founded platform endeared itself to the public by standing on the side of the common man.

When the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan erred, Sahara Reporters was always the first platform with the truth. When the ruling party at the time, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), attempted to rig elections, Sahara Reporters was always the first platform to get its hands on the actual election results.

However, in recent times, like a case of the powerful man becoming too careless in the use of his powers, Sahara Reporters has began to lose its way. Recently, the platform published a story about the Vice-President, Yemi Osibanjo, that alleged that he had cancelled a planned trip to India, based on a protocol gaffe. Sahara Reporters went on to quote the sum of $250,000 as the reported cost of the supposed trip, saying that: “The Nigerian government lost over $250,000 to VP Osinbajo’s trip cancellation.”

In a swift reaction by the Presidency, Laolu Akande, the spokesman to the Vice-President, denied the claims stating that there was never any final decision of the Vice-President to travel, and the trip in question would be led by Industry & Trade Minister, Dr. Okey Enelamah. Again, Sahara Reporters printed out no retraction.

Another famous example of Sahara Reporters getting it wrong, is in the case of the alleged arrest of Alhaji Musa Yola, an in-law to President Buhari. On June 28th, 2015, Sahara Reporters released an article with the title “President Buhari Orders Arrest Of Wife’s Younger Brother Over Alleged Extortion.”

In the article in question, Sahara Reporters cited sources that claimed that Yola, a younger brother to the wife of President Buhari, allegedly received N300 million from a businessman after promising to provide him with political access to secure an oil block from the Buhari administration.

Days after the report in question came out, Yola filed a petition through his lawyers ordering Sahara Reporters to print out a retraction and an apology. Additionally, Alhaji Garba Shehu, the presidential spokesman also rubbished the claims of the New York-based platform. Again, with no arrests recorded of Yola by any of the government agencies, and with Sahara Reporters failing to prove its claims, it again failed to print out a retraction. The damage was already done. Yola’s image had already been tarnished.

The Way Forward

In common terms, the danger with Sahara Reporters’ actions is that the news, like the law is meant to be neutral, impartial, and work for the good of all concerned. However, in the course of the law and the reporting of the news, pointing falsified fingers and concocting uncorroborated charges against any person, simply to force a specific outcome, denotes a height of deliberate indecency.

Like the cases involving Osibanjo, Buhari’s brother-in-law, and in more recent times, Saraki, Sahara Reporters has shown that it is more interested in making the news, than reporting the news. What this means is that Sahara Reporters has demonstrated that it cares more about the hits that it generates on its platform, more than it cares about its credibility.

On the judicial side of things, Nigerians should be worried that a platform run from an office somewhere in New York, has the power to dispense the harsh judgement of public perception arbitrarily – without fact-checking its claims. Today, it has happened to Kafarati, who mentioned that he was withdrawing from Saraki’s case because his integrity was being called into question. Tomorrow, it could be the judge on your case, if you ever find yourself seeking redress of any sort in the court of law.

Moving forward, as Kafarati’s case has still not been reassigned by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Nigerians should insist that Kafarati continue with the case. We cannot continue to allow a platform with a long and extensive track-record of falsehoods to continue to dictate the trajectory of our laws.

Furthermore, there is a need for Sahara Reporters to stop parading itself as a credible media organization if it still intends on tarnishing the image of Nigeria’s public figures, and in turn, Nigeria without facts and it will.

All great nations have thrived on the adherence to the rule of law. With Sahara Reporters operating on unregulated guerrilla-style online warfare, the time has come for the public to entirely disregard it reports, or weigh them thoroughly with many tablespoons of salt.

———

Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Muhammadu Mustapha is a Public Affairs Analyst from Kano State. You can contact him via mmusty87@gmail.com or @MMusty87.

CCT: Danladi Umar must do the right thing

Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dalandi Umar, must do what is right and just in the case involving the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki because posterity beckons, Mohammed Abdulrazaq Umar...living for posterity?

On December 10, 1948, in the aftermath of the World War II, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It contained this pivotal recital: “It is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law.” It went further to assert that a quality judiciary must uphold the rule of law.

Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights expressed the same principle thus: “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.” In this wise, the rule of law ensures that courts have the power to determine authoritatively the lawfulness or not of all legislative and executive conduct by the application of the written law and legal principle.

It is a known fact that the Judiciary is there to ensure that the innocent is not unjustly punished in view of his political leaning either by the opposition or within his political party. Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has made it clear that his present case before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) is not about “corruption” but “political persecution” for emerging Senate President against the calculation of some powerful forces within his own party, the APC.

There is a precedent to this. When in 2011, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) considered former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a threat, they railroaded him to appear before the CCT for alleged breaches in his asset declaration forms while he was governor, without complying with mandatory procedures for such arraignment.

Nigerians read between the lines and cried foul. The CCT did not shirk its responsibility in ensuring that Justice was done. It promptly dismissed the charges against Tinubu. Similarly, Saraki though a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said he is being persecuted at the CCT based on the opinion of some influential party members that he emerged Senate President against their wish. Come to think of it, Saraki became Senate President on June 9, 2015. In September of the same year, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) suddenly woke up from its slumber to discover that there were breaches in the Asset Declaration forms he filled in 2003, when he first became the governor of Kwara State.

Moreover, the CCB sidestepped a germane Section of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, which provides that when such infractions, irregularities or breaches are observed in the assets declared by a public official, such an official or ex-official should first be informed of such anomalies by the CCB and be allowed to admit or deny the irregularities. It added that if the subject admits the discrepancies in writing, “there shall be no recourse to the CCT.”

But in this case, as had been made clear by the lead defence counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi SAN, Saraki was never given the opportunity to admit or deny the alleged discrepancies in his asset declaration forms for which he is now being tried for at the CCT. He was not even made to write a statement on the issue.

This is even more worrisome in view of the fact that Tinubu had been arraigned in a similar fashion for alleged breach of the CCB/CCT Act and the same chairman of the CCT, Justice Danlandi Umar declined jurisdiction to try him based on the fact that the “condition precedent” for arraigning a suspect before the tribunal was not met by the CCB.

This is why many Nigerians believe that Saraki has no case to answer in the present circumstances and that it will be in the overall interest of justice and enrichment of our democracy for the tribunal to strike out the case against him based on the yet unchallenged precedent it set in the Tinubu case.

For the avoidance of doubt, Section 3(d) of the CCB/CCT Act unambiguously provides that the Bureau shall: “Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of this Act and where the Bureau considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by Section 20 of this Act in accordance with the provisions of Sections 20 to 25 of this Act: PROVIDED THAT WHERE THE PERSON CONCERNED MAKES A WRITTEN ADMISSION OF SUCH BREACH OR NON-COMPLIANCE, NO REFERENCE TO THE TRIBUNAL SHALL BE NECESSARY” (emphasis mine).

It therefore follows that having quashed the case against Tinubu on this very premise in 2011, to rule otherwise in the Saraki case will be highly suspicious and obviously portrays the judiciary as having abandoned its fundamental role as an arbiter by conniving with politicians to nail a perceived ‘errant’ member, albeit through political persecution. If this were the case, Justice to the accused, the prosecution and the society on whose behalf the prosecutor works cannot be said to have been truly done.

Saraki has repeatedly said he is being persecuted by elements within the ruling APC for contesting and winning the post of the Senate President against the express wish and interest of an ingrained cabal within the party. What is more? I believe that it is no coincidence that Mr. Danlandi Umar, who presided over and dismissed the charges against Tinubu is the same Chairman presiding over the Saraki case today. Therefore, the overwhelming expectation of Nigerians is that he should follow the precedent he set in the Tinubu case by declining jurisdiction to try Saraki (the tribunal has however assumed jurisdiction).

Nigerians hope that Umar would find the courage to follow his conscience and good reason in this case. For the avoidance of doubt, Justice Umar had ruled in the case between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu with Charge No. CCT/ABJ/1/11 on 30th of November, 2011 that “On Section 3(d), I feel compelled by the argument of the learned SAN for the accused. It is a condition precedent for referring a charge to this Tribunal that the Accused ought to have been invited to either deny or admit the allegations against him.

“This is missing in this case as the Complainant has no such evidence of a prior invitation. It would be proper for me at this stage to simply decline further exercise of jurisdiction having held that the condition precedent to the instituting of charges against the Accused has not been complied with. I hereby resolve this issue in favour of the Accused...” This is the right thing and proper thing Nigerians expect Justice Umar to do despite the bandwagon of the howling mob, who will rather have the CCT reverse itself by assuming jurisdiction to try Saraki.

Why should Justice Umar do the right thing in the Saraki case? He should do the right thing by striking out the case against Saraki because it is the same type of charge, same judge, same Tribunal, same CCB/ CCT Act and same Constitution and same shirking of the condition precedent that has occurred. This is the plank upon which Saraki’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN premised his plea before the Tribunal last Friday.

Added to this is a common saying in law that it is far better for 1000 criminals to be set at liberty than for one innocent person to be wrongly convicted. The tribunal cannot afford to set a bad precedent by overruling itself. The Tribunal must also discountenance the comments of the prosecution in this case that it decided the Tinubu case in error in 2011. If the prosecution knew this, why has it not appealed the ruling since over five years ago? The position of the prosecution is not only meant to set up the Honourable Members of the CCT, but to put a question mark on their past decisions in the CCT.

The CCT should not also be carried away by the apparent orchestrated hypes and media trial out there shouting “crucify him, crucify him”. Though an important organ of any democratic society, the press ought to allow the wheel of Justice to grind unencumbered. It must not constitute itself into a prosecutor and judge in a case instituted before any court in the land. To apparently blackmail the CCT in perverting justice at this time would not only jeopardize the inalienable rights of the defendant, but a gross usurpation of the powers of the judiciary to determine issues brought before them impartially and independently.

Furthermore, the press should not lend its powerful platform to be used by powerful members of the society to pervert justice by resorting to subtle blackmail of the judiciary to err in law. It must be noted that without the constant vigilance of the judiciary, our democracy, rule of law and human liberty will be greatly imperiled. Freedom of speech is good but it must not be misused to dictate a particular course of action for the judiciary as some section of the press now seeks to do in the Saraki case.

If the abuse of privilege and responsibility by the media continues, then it can be said that the media have annexed the liberty and independence of the judiciary to impartially dispense justice in any litigated matter. Such is what we have witnessed in the past few months, where a section of the media will go as far as impugning the integrity of justices, defence and persecution teams to prepare ground for selfish judicial outcome which is to gain through the court what they could not gain in the political arena. Any attempt to arrest the freedom of the CCT to give unbiased judgment based on the preponderance of evidence, the written law and in the true exercise of their wellconsidered opinion must be resisted by the CCT in this case.

Be that as it may, the CCT will gain great wisdom to sail through this stormy weather if it avails itself of the counsel of Mordecai to Esther when he admonished in Esther 4:14 that: “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, [then] shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for [such] a time as this?”

According to Lord Denning: “The qualities of a good judge include patience, wisdom, courage, firmness, alertness, incorruptibility and the gifts of sympathy and insight. In a democracy, a judge is accorded great respect by the state as well as its citizens. He is not only permitted to assert his freedom and impartiality butalso expected to use all his forensic skill to protect the rights of the individual against arbitrariness.”

It is clear that despite the convoluted atmosphere surrounding Saraki’s arraignment before the CCT, the Senate President is not asking for clemency or judicial pardon. He is asking that his case be struck out based on the impropriety of the charges and the dangerous precedent that would be set should the verdict be otherwise.

And that, for me, means that Justice should not only be done but must be seen to have been done irrespective of the personality involved. My submission to the CCT is that it remains true embodiment of Justice by ensuring that an innocent man is not unjustly punished based on political sentiments of a few powerful forces that orchestrated a well-oiled campaign of calumny against Saraki. Their campaign of calumny has unfairly resulted in a presumption of guilt even before the merits of the case is laid bare in court.

Don’t get me wrong. Nobody can dictate to the tribunal as to how it must cast its net. Nobody is asking the tribunal to do anything extraordinary. But Nigerians are waiting to see whether in the instant case, the Tribunal will choose to go by the opinion of the vocal minority and political correctness or will serve as a bulwark against powerful forces attempting to trample on the rights of a free citizen of this country.

-Abdulrazaq, a public affairs analyst wrote from Anyigba, Kogi State

Saraki Urges Closer Collaboration Between Nigeria, Colombia


The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday called for a closer collaboration between Nigeria and Colombia in order to improve diplomatic ties and enhance democratic governance in both countries.

Senator Saraki, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja, spoke when he received a Parliamentary delegation from Colombia, led by Senator Edinson Delgado in his office.

He also said that the National Assembly is open to relationships with other advanced parliaments across the globe to broaden its legislative experience and knowledge of its lawmakers.

He noted that Nigeria and Colombia have a long standing relationship that need to be oiled and improved upon for mutual benefits just as he canvassed for strong investment in the Nigeria economy by Colombian investors.

He said; "We are happy that you are here. I believe your visit will further strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and Colombia.

"For many years, lots of opportunities have not been harnessed by both countries in spite of the fact that Nigeria and Colombia have a lot of things in common. Here in Nigeria, we have two chambers just like you have in Colombia.

"We are very identical, we must build this relationship and that is why I am encouraging this visit particularly at this period of diversification of our economy," Saraki said.

The Senate President extended invitation to the parliament of Colombia for cooperation and exchange of programmes that would improve the quality of law making in both countries.

Earlier, the leader of the Colombian parliamentary delegation, Senator Edinson Delgado called for mutual cooperation between his country and Nigeria for mutual diplomatic and economic benefits.

Delgado said the team which comprised of Colombian businessmen and investors was in Nigeria on a three city tour of Lagos, Yola and Port Harcourt to foster partnerships and explore opportunities with a focus on commerce, industry and agriculture between both countries.

He promised to work hard to improve the economic and parliamentary relationship between Colombia and Nigeria.

"We are keen to strengthen our diplomatic relationship and establish basic opportunities between our two countries." Delgado said.

Sanni Onogu
Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President

CCT: North- Central Leaders Back Saraki, Seeks Stoppage Of His Trial
By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin
Leaders of thought in the north- central yesterday called for the immediate dismissal of the on going trial of the Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
Addressing a World press conference in Ilorin, Kwara state yesterday, the leaders of thought said that they rejected in its entirety  the CCT's judgment of ‎ March 24th 2016. 
The spokesman of the group, Senator Ahmed Mohammed on behalf of the people of  north central zone called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to be indifferent to the injustice and abuse of legal system in the country as "being perpetrated" by Jistice Umar Danladi  at the CCT.  
He said the recent pronouncement by eminent Jurists on the illegality of the CCT and that it lacks  the power to prosecute Saraki was  enough to prompt presidential action on the "impunity" of Justice Danladi.  
Mohammed added that "on our part we  make bold to say that we would reject what ever is the outcome of this illegal and Kangaroo trial under Umar Danladi who himself was alleged to  have criminal charges hanging on his neck while  the Tribunal has also  been declared incompetent by eminent legal luminary.
"Therefore we call for the immediate dismissal of the on going trial at CCT but should this injustice and political persecution continue then Chief Ahmed Bola Tinubu  must be re -arraigned  immediately .
"We have refrained from speaking about the trial of the President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal ‎CCT because of our belief that it was an issue that would stand  the test of truth, equity and justice. 
"BUT it has become significant to raise our voice at this juncture not only for posterity, but  because of the pronouncement  of Justice Danladi Umar which established clearly that double standard is reigning supreme". 
Justifying their call for president presidential intervention, Mohammed noted that Saraki did not only deliver Kwara state 100% to APC in the last general elections, he was a pillar in the North central.
"If fair is fair Dr Saraki deserve to be the most commended politician in APC", he submitted.
The leaders of thought spokesman added that "in the six  geo-political zones of Nigeria, APC used to have  only one Governor in Nasarawa before Kwara  joined. Today APC rules in all the states of North central for the party,courtesy of the outstanding role he played with others . "There is no other zone that came from one out of six governors to six over six today. APC also has the most number in National Assembly, state ‎Assemblies and local councils. 
"Unfortunately at this moment  he is being condemned , persecuted and vilified by the party he helped to build and win.
"If we review his leadership at the Senate and chairmanship of the National Assembly in the last nine  months is there anyone  who has not seen the high capacity demonstrated by Dr Bukola Saraki  in the conduct of business at the upper house and coordination of the national Assembly ? 
"For the first time since 1999, the budget was passed the same day in both chambers with similar figures without any need for a joint committee to harmonise their differences. Harmonisation was done from the start.  
"With the senate search light on Treasury Single Account (TSA ) Nigeria is saving over N600m  everyday. The war against Boko Haram is being won because the National Assembly approved the funds. He brought succour to Nigerians from cancellation of fixed PHCN charges from DISCO tariff. And saved the nation from labour strike in that regard‎ among many other laudable and progressives steps and decision taken in the best interest of our dear Nation. 
"As leaders in the zone that produced Senate President we are compelled to cry out on the injustice being done to our ‎Illustrious son, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the  President of the Senate". 
ENDS

HOW TINUBU AND BUHARI’S SGF MET WITH CCT JUDGE AT MIDNIGHT TO PERFECT SARAKI’S FATE
MARCH 27, 2016 .COM
IT is no longer news that Senate President Bukola Saraki is facing the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), but what may not be so obvious is the fact that justice administration in Nigeria is also standing trial.

Though there may be divers interests from different quarters, ultimately, Nigerians are unanimous in their desire for a free, transparent judicial process that abides by established judicial procedures.

This cannot exactly be said for the trial of Saraki at the CCT as there are strong indications of unethical compromises involving Justice Danladi Umar which incidentally tainted the ruling of the CCT delivered last Thursday, March 24th striking out Saraki’s application.

The question is, what would Justice Danladi Umar be doing in a nocturnal meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal and the National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Bola Tinubu on the night of Wednesday 23rd of March, less than 24 hours to delivering the ruling.

The SGF had hurriedly invited Umar for the meeting having sensed that public sentiments and legal opinions were weighing heavily in favour of Saraki’s application and against any possibility of striking out his application.

The fact is that the charge against Saraki is defective and in violation of Section 379 of ACJA which requires defendant’s statement to be part of the charge when being filed and also Section 3(d) which is an established precedent that requires prior invitation of the accused before charges are filed.

According to an impeccable source in close proximity to the Office of the SGF who craved anonymity, Umar on arrival at the meeting met Tinubu already seated with the SGF and the meeting which was very brief went straight to the point which was – Saraki must go.

Both men pressed it upon Umar to assume jurisdiction the next day and also proceed with the trial same day; a move that was contested by Kanu Agabi, Saraki’s lead counsel, after Umar assumed jurisdiction.

In order to avoid any mistakes, an untyped, hand-written ruling was given to Umar to go and read the next day striking out Saraki’s objection.

Expectedly, this impunity brought the CCT to grave disrepute the next day as Umar surprised the already exasperated audience with his incoherent delivery of the ruling, as he could hardly read the ‘ready-made’ judgment because it was not his writing and the sentences were difficult for him to piece together without creating moments of awkward silence and prolonged pauses which the audience could not help but notice.

Another issue of concern is the connection between Tinubu’s Nation newspaper and the CCT Chairman.

A day before the ruling, Nation Newspaper carried a half page news advancing a legal argument why the CCT will rule against Saraki and to the shock of observers in the court, the wordings used by Justice Danladi Umar turned out to be the exact words of the Nation newspaper legal report.

It is bad enough that Justice Danladi Umar perfected the legal argument advanced by the Nation newspaper but how then did the Nation newspaper know the words to be used by Justice Umar if not that whoever planted the story was the same person that gave Umar the judgment he read?

It is understandable though that the SGF oversights the CCB and CCT and wields an overbearing influence over the tribunal but his involvement in altering the course of justice may erode trust and confidence in the capacity of the CCB and CCT to serve justice in matters brought before them.

Of recent the CCT chairman has become a regular visitor to the SGF which our source said may not be unconnected with the plot to hasten the conviction of Saraki at all cost.

The underhand deal to convict Saraki by hook or crook is however, not without benefit to Justice Danladi Umar.‎

Umar has a case of N10m bribery allegation hanging around his neck and also a pending recommendation for his removal from the CCT by the former Attorney General to the Federation (AGF) Mohammed Adoke and former SGF, Chief Pius Anyim.

Our source also informed that she had learnt within the week that the SGF had spelt out the terms clearly for Umar that it is either Saraki is convicted or he (Umar) will be convicted. Umar was however assured that the recommendations for his removal will be withdrawn if he does the needful.

Sadly, the present scenario is a threat to Nigeria’s democracy and rule of law as it has become obvious that an accused before Danladi Umar’s CCT who has issues with the presidency cannot get justice.

The foregoing is reminiscent of the Justice Ayo Salami saga and makes a mockery of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption posture. It further empties Mr. President’s claim of non-interference in judicial processes, especially with the involvement of principal stakeholders in his administration in derailing judicial process.

Meanwhile a group of lawyers under the aegis of Lawyers in Defence of Democracy has expressed their resolve to petition the presidency and the Senate on the matter stressing that, “This brazing manipulation of judicial process by interested parties must be condemned by all Nigerians if we must safeguard our judicial system. We are calling on the National Assembly to investigate the racketeering of justice delivery at the CCT. We shall submit a copy of our petition to the Presidency and the Senate by next week

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Saraki, Tinubu And CCT Contradictory Ruling - By Nwobodo Chidi

There is no doubt that on-going trial of Senate President Saraki has opened up Nigeria criminal justice system cum jurisprudence, to ridicule and all manner of judicial contradictions by the same temple of justice, who are supposed to be custodian of the law.

The above self-contradictory rulings of Justice Danladi Umar when discharging Saraki’s objections vis-à-vis his ruling on Tinubu’s case in 2011, especially when juxtaposed with the argument of Defence Counsel, left much to be desired.

Justice Danladi Umar made Nigerians to understand that CCT under his Chairmanship “has since realised that the decision it made on the case between FRN vs. Tinubu was in error and has clearly departed from it”.

The thought provoking and mind-illuminating questions this writer would like to pose to discerning legal luminaries and informed Nigerians are as follows:

What if Tinubu was sentenced to years of imprisonment in “error” by Justice Umar-led CCT, would he had accepted publicly that the infamous judgement was passed in “error”?

Would Tinubu have kept quite after realising that he was sentenced in “error”?

When did he “realised” and “departed” from the so-called erroneous ruling?

Would Nigerians have known that the CCT erred in discharging Tinubu if not for Saraki’s trial?

Was Justice Umar’s erroneous ruling not a major setback on the anti-corruption crusade?

Did he tender unreserved apology to Nigeria’s Tax Payers for wasting their hard-earned resources?

Are we sure that Justice Umar-led CCT will not “realise” tomorrow, when presiding over another politically-instigated trial that his prospective verdict on Saraki’s case “was” done in error?

Justice Danladi Umar based his ruling on the fact CCB did not invite Tinubu to clear his name before filing charges.

Did CCB invite Saraki to clear discrepancies discovered in Assets Declaration form before proceeding with filing of charges?

Why different strokes for different folks?

The same Panel of CCT Judges, laws but different rulings?

Is Tinubu more Nigerian than Saraki? Is Justice Umar operating with different laws for individuals?

Does Justice Umar still reserve moral impetus and legal objectivity to proceed with this all-important trial, having indicted himself via inconsistent rulings?

Was Tinubu set free by Danladi Umar because Northern Oligarchy wanted to use him to upstage GEJ, in favor of President Buhari?

Why is Justice Umar alluding to error?

Is error not the same as miscarriage of justice?

Who bears consequences of Justice Umar’s erroneous rulings?

Why must we allow a Judge to be experimenting with high profile cases?

Can’t this Danladi Umar step down as Chairman of CCT?

Must he continue with Saraki’s trial, after gross display of incompetence and sense of biasedness?

Why would judicial pronouncements, in sensitive trial that has already attracted international attention been made base on a Judge’s whims and caprices, of which will be later disguised as “error”?

Answers to above articulated questions, will go a long way in assuaging restive thoughts, racing through the mind of legal minds cum analysts, interested in the outcome of this trial for posterity and sustenance of anti-corruption fight, solely anchored on rule of law cum well-versed judicial precedents.

In furtherance of judicial voyage of contradictions, Justice Danladi Umar’s led CCT said that both the law that established it and the 1999 Constitution, as amended, conferred it with requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine the case against the defendant.

Relying on the decided case-law in FRN vs. Atiku Abubakar, 2007, 8-NWLR, the Tribunal said, it was vested with the powers to handle allegations bordering on breach of Code of Conduct by public officers.

The mindboggling incongruities in CCT rulings on jurisdiction, as unknowingly cited by Justice Danladi Umar in FRN vs. Atiku Abubakar, can be highlighted further, when juxtaposed with the judgment of the CCT panel in Tinubu’s case vis-à-vis discharging of Saraki’s objections.

In letting Bola Tinubu off the hook, Justice Umar-led CCT ruled: “There is condition precedent before this court that the accused ought to have been invited by the Code of Conduct Bureau before this charge was filed…

“Consequently, it will be proper for me at this stage to cease further exercise of jurisdiction since the condition precedent was not met before the charge was filled”.

In the foregoing context, Justice Umar established that there was judicial “precedent before the court”, which enabled him “to cease further exercise of jurisdiction” because the condition precedent was not met.

Which precedent was Justice Umar referring to in FRN vs. Tinubu’s case?

Was FRN vs. Atiku Abubakar, 2007, not there in 2011 as judicial precedent, when Tinubu was set free by this CCT headed by Justice Umar?

Why did CCT under the supervision of Justice Umar use judicial precedent of 2007 to discharge Saraki’s objections but refused to apply same to Tinubu’s case in 2011?

If Justice Umar ceased further jurisdiction in Tinubu’s case as a result of the prosecuting counsel’s inability to meet conditional precedent before the court, why is he enforcing CCT jurisdiction on a related case, where prosecuting made similar infractions against conditional precedent before the same court ruled by him?

There is clear conflict of judgments and interest by Justice Umar-led CCT already, when compared with judicial precedent, in this on-going trial of Senate President Saraki, which is affirming assumptions of people of my school of thought that this trial, is more of political persecution cum vendetta, than anti-corruption fight.

As much as we need to get rid of corruption in our polity, we cannot submerge and trample upon fundamental rights of individuals to fair hearing, via inconsistent judicial rascality, as exhibited by flip-flopping of current Code of Conduct Tribunal rulings.

Retired Justice of Supreme Court Rules That Saraki's Trial is Political


Speaking on the “Code of conduct enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and its crucial importance in the fight against corruption”, Justice Uwaifo berated the trial of Saraki by the CCT, describing it as political.

He said: “It is now open secret that the power behind the ruling APC did not back him (Saraki) for that office. It is fair to see a connection between that circumstance and the code of conduct matter. There is the rumour that the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal has an alleged crime hanging over him, which might give the impression that he may be willing to act as the hatchet-man over Saraki to save himself the prospect of the alleged crime not seeing the light of day by way of prosecution.

“Looking at the treatment Saraki has received so far in the tribunal presided over by the said Chairman who might, or is deemed to, know that there is the Sword of Damocles hanging over him, would the ordinary, right-minded persons aware of the situation have the impression that there was a real likelihood of bias on his part to deny Saraki justice? “

He condemned the docking of Saraki by the tribunal as if he was a criminal. He added that the criminal charge against the tribunal chairman which is not being prosecuted now, may propel him to be hard on Saraki in the hope that he would be finally spared. “The tendency to get the Code of Conduct Tribunal and probably similar bodies to intrude into the administration of criminal justice is not a welcome development. It is indeed a challenge to our constitutional democracy which puts the liberty of individuals at risk. It is also a challenge to the foresight of anyone who fails to appreciate this dire consequence”, he declared.

- Justice Samson Uwaifo is a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank, has described the continued trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, as “worrisome”, saying there were flaws in the processes leading to the arraignment.

Mr. Frank said in a statement on Friday that it was dangerous that the leadership of the APC “chose to sit on the fence and watch Mr. Saraki swim or sink in his trial”.

“I sincerely hold that the current trial of Saraki is not only underserved, but amounts to paying a good man with evil. I also want to say that the leaders of our great party have unfortunately remained quiet in the face of evil..

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/200826-sarakis-trial-splits-apc-senior-member-blasts-party-leaders-keeping-quiet.html

Code of Conduct Tribunal not court of law, says Former Chief Justice of Nigeria Belgore, Nwabueze, Agbakoba

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday lost another application to stop his trial over an alleged false declaration of assets as the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) ruled that it has the jurisdiction to prosecute the case.

The tribunal consequently fixed April 5, 2016 for the commencement of the trial in a charge brought against him by the Federal Government.

But while insisting on the trial of Saraki, the CCT admitted error in discharging former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu some years ago.

Meanwhile, eminent jurists and leading legal practitioners yesterday declared that the CCT is not a law court as enshrined in the 1999 constitution and therefore lacks criminal jurisdiction to exercise such powers. The jurists include former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Salisu Modibo Alfa Belgore, Retired Justices of Supreme Court of Nigeria, Messrs Gorge Oguntade and Samson Odemwingie Uwaifo.

Others are Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), former Attorney-General of Anambra State, Chief Nnoruka Udechukwu (SAN), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) .

The tribunal had on the preliminary objections to his trial, dismissed Saraki’s application challenging the legality of the charges against him.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Mr. Danladi, Yakubu Umar, stated yesterday that the failure of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to meet certain conditions precedent to putting Saraki on trial was not weighty enough to discharge him and strike out the trial.

He said that Section 3(b) of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act which makes it a requirement for any defendant to be invited for confirmation or denial of discrepancies in the Assets Form had been overtaken by the provision of Section 3 (e) of the 1999 Constitution.

According to him, the Constitution is the supreme law. Umar added that Section 3(e) of the 1999 Constitution, which does not make provision for the condition precedent as in the case of CCB Act, has rendered the CCB Act unconstitutional, null and void, having been inconsistent with the constitution.

The tribunal also held that the failure of the CCB to invite the defendant in the instant case has not ousted the jurisdiction of the tribunal.

On the failure of the CCB to obtain a written admission by Saraki on the alleged discrepancies in his Assets Declaration Form before referring him to the tribunal for trial, the chairman noted that the issue was crucial but could be raised in the substantive matter.

Umar said that it was premature for the issue to be raised at the preliminary objection stage.

“On the failure of the CCB to obtain a written admission of discrepancies in the Assets Declaration Form of the defendant before referring him to this tribunal, we hold that this is crucial but the issue can be raised in the substantive matter as doing so now at the preliminary stage is premature. For us therefore, it will be out of place to give legal weight to that failure without hearing the substantive matter.

“On the discharge of the former Lagos State governor by the tribunal some years ago simply because the CCB failed to fulfill the condition precedent, we have since realised that we acted in error in discharging Mr. Tinubu on that ground and we have since departed from that error.

“In essence, provision of Section 3(a) of the third schedule of the 1999 Constitution which has no provision for fulfillment of certain conditions precedent before the CCB can act, is now the guiding force for the tribunal,” the CCT said.

Concerning the filing of the charges by the government, 13 years after Saraki had left office, the CCT chairman stated that there was no statute of limitation on criminal matters and that it was not out of place for the government to charge him the way it did even though he left office for a long time

But the Senate President, who was again accompanied by a large number of supporters, especially his colleagues from the National Assembly, told the tribunal that he was fully ready for trial to prove his innocence. He, however, pleaded for more time to allow him call his witnesses.

Speaking through his lead counsel and former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), Saraki said although he would have wished that due process of law was followed by government before putting him on trial, nevertheless, he was ready to engage his accusers legally.

“We are the ones being suspected of wrongdoing and we are ready to establish the fact that we are innocent of the charges even though we are convinced that the right thing has not been done as far as the charges are concerned,” Agabi said.

The Senate president had challenged the competence of the false assets declaration criminal charges brought against him by the government, maintaining that they were politically motivated and in bad faith.

In his objection filed by Agabi, Saraki stated that the charges could not be sustained in law since due process was not observed before they were initiated.

He therefore, asked the Code of Conduct Tribunal to quash or strike out the charges contained in Charge No. CCT/ABJ/01/2015 filed in September against him.

The Senate president also asked the tribunal to discharge him from the charges on the ground that the charges were not competent and lawful in the eyes of the law.

His grounds of objection to the trial include the fact that the tribunal headed by Umar has no jurisdiction to entertain the charge because a condition precedent to the exercise of jurisdiction was not fulfilled.

He also anchored his objection on the fact that the charge was brought in bad faith, not in the interest of the public and justice and that the charge constituted a gross abuse of legal process.

The eminent lawyers spoke at the inaugural constitutional law conference of the Ben Nwabueze Centre for Studies in Constitutional Law and related subjects organised at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos. The event, which has the topic: “The Code of Conduct Enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and its Crucial Importance in the fight against Corruption”, examined the “ Constitutionality of the Code of Conduct Bureau and its Tribunal.”

Speaking on the “Code of conduct enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and its crucial importance in the fight against corruption”, Justice Uwaifo berated the trial of Saraki by the CCT, describing it as political.

He said: “It is now open secret that the power behind the ruling APC did not back him (Saraki) for that office. It is fair to see a connection between that circumstance and the code of conduct matter. There is the rumour that the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal has an alleged crime hanging over him, which might give the impression that he may be willing to act as the hatchet-man over Saraki to save himself the prospect of the alleged crime not seeing the light of day by way of prosecution.

“Looking at the treatment Saraki has received so far in the tribunal presided over by the said Chairman who might, or is deemed to, know that there is the Sword of Damocles hanging over him, would the ordinary, right-minded persons aware of the situation have the impression that there was a real likelihood of bias on his part to deny Saraki justice? “

He condemned the docking of Saraki by the tribunal as if he was a criminal. He added that the criminal charge against the tribunal chairman which is not being prosecuted now, may propel him to be hard on Saraki in the hope that he would be finally spared. “The tendency to get the Code of Conduct Tribunal and probably similar bodies to intrude into the administration of criminal justice is not a welcome development. It is indeed a challenge to our constitutional democracy which puts the liberty of individuals at risk. It is also a challenge to the foresight of anyone who fails to appreciate this dire consequence”, he declared.

Udechukwu (SAN) in his intervention on whether the CCT is a court of law or not, gave the verdict that the tribunal could not be accorded the same status as the courts. He maintained that the chairman of the tribunal and his members are not recognised by the Constitution as members of the judiciary. “Under the 1999 constitution, the Code of Conduct Tribunal is not a court of law and therefore, lacks essential ingredients to be so described”, he stated.

In his presentation, Ozekhome (SAN), said the CCT Act as presently constituted is tantamount to a deliberate legislative affront to the clear and unambiguous provisions of the Constitution.

Examining the constitutionality of the CCB and Tribunal Act, he said the courts of the land must therefore, activate Section 1 (3) of the Constitution to put the errant Act in its proper place of playing the second fiddle to the grund norm.

He said that the entire Act, or most of its provisions as they presently stand, must succumb to constitutional discipline and be declared null, void and of no effect whatsoever for seeking to sit on the sacred throne which rightly belongs only to the Constitution.

Ozhekhome noted further that the inconsistency of the CCB vis-a-vis the constitution could be found in the systematic barring of Section 308 of the constitution as non-applicable to the CCT proceedings.

He urged the National Assembly to retool the Code of Conduct Act, adding that there was no need for the lawmakers to legislate on a matter that was already enshrined in the Constitution.

Agbakoba also urged the National Assembly to review the law establishing the CCT. He stressed that lawyers support the fight against corruption, adding that it must be done in accordance to the rule of law.

Earlier, the promoter of the centre, Nwabueze, said he developed the passion for constitutional law while as a student at the London School of Economics, adding that the passion had had expression in his writings.

According to him, he thought on how to preserve his legacies as he approaches ‘the end of my life’ and decided to open the centre. He stated that he was not against the fight against corruption due to his position on the trial of Saraki but wanted the fight to be limited within the confines of the Constitution.

The governor of Lagos State, represented by his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kazeem Adeniji expressed the good wishes of the state and pledged to continue to support the legacies of the Nwabueze Centre. He noted that the Code of Conduct exists to address the issue of corruption and reiterated the need to strengthen the CCB and CCT in order to be able to fight corruption.

From the CCT Judgement against Senate President Bukola Saraki today, some salient facts are visible.


The Presiding Judge, Danladi Umar stutered throughout his way while delivery the entire judgement thereby questioning the reliability of the judgement ‎he delivered as though it was written and just handed over to him to deliver

The rather terrible delivery of the judgement leaves more to question


One must be fair: what is good for the goose is good for the gander. How can Section 3D of the CCB and CCT act that has been used to acquit numerous other public holders like Tinubu and led to the withdrawal of the CCT Case against Orubebe amongst others, now be turned on its head in this case of Saraki.


Recently Newspapers were awash that the acquittal of Tinubu was made in error as ‎argued by the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs and the same thing was alluded to and agreed to by Danladi Umar leading to a simple case of Self Indictment... Should such mind be the judge in a case like this?‎

Section 3d of the CCB Act which states expressly that

(d) receive complaints about non‐compliance with or breach of this Act and where the Bureau considers  it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by section 20 of  this Act in accordance with the provisions of sections 20 to 25 of this Act:  


Provided that where the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or noncompliance, no reference to the 

Tribunal shall be necessary...

why is it this now being used against Saraki


Clearly and Evidently, this Section wasn't followed and you can't have something on nothing; you can't try someone when you have flouted the laid down rules yourself.


‎Based on the above, the Bureau and Tribunal have committed a gross act of procedural error by not following the condition precedent. Yet the CCT revels in this clearly showing that more and more political machinations than meets the eye and enormous pressures on Danladi Umar are at ‎play here.‎ Today they are using it against Saraki to score political point, tomorrow it might be against anyone

Opinion: The legislature’s unique chance to create Nigeria’s business sector blueprint
Op-Ed Editor March 23, 2016


The review of the of Nigeria’s business laws have been overlooked for many years. However, after ranking 169th out of the 189 economies surveyed in the World Bank Doing Business report, there has been an urgent need for Nigeria to restructure its business environment in order to make it more investor-friendly, and to promote the activities of entrepreneurs.

In this regard, the 8th National Assembly’s engagement of stakeholders from the business sector on developing a blueprint for the legislative business reforms, is a welcome development given the recent push to diversify Nigeria’s economy.

Under the leadership of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, this roundtable was convened to look into Nigeria’s laws on competition, taxation, infrastructure, public-private partnerships, finance and investment, and arbitration and dispute resolution.



As it stands, these initiatives are crucial given that where we are now is that according to the 2013 report of SMEDAN, the 37 million micro, small and medium scale businesses in Nigeria contribute almost 50% of our GDP. However only 17 percent of this number – according to SMEDAN statistics – received banking loans as one of their sources of capital.

Where we want to be is to enact the critical legislation that will address access to finance to boost entrepreneurship and employment in the country.

Where we are now is that Nigeria is ranked in the bottom 20 economies on the World Bank Doing Business Report due to our processes, practices and procedures, our multiple taxation system, and the lack of contract enforcements.

Where we want to be is to examine ways that we can streamline the numerous stages of registering and sustaining new and existing businesses, improve our commercial dispute resolution capacity, and modernise our tax system to meet our increasingly diversifying economy.

As emphasised by the Senate President at the event, Nigeria has an opportunity to review and repeal obsolete laws, and the re-enact new ones that cater to the demands of the ever-evolving world.

History beckons at the Saraki-led Senate, the Dogara-led House of Representatives, and the entire National Assembly to begin to forge a new path that will encourage the growth of our domestic economy.

Given the input from various experts across the board, the Nigerian legislature has a unique opportunity to not only define the future, but to consciously, collectively, and comprehensively build a roadmap that addresses many of the faults in our business environment.

————————-
Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Wale Bakare is a writer and a social media enthusiast with strong affection for politics, Agriculture and the conservation of the environment. He can be reached via email: – waleflame@gmail.com

THE prosecution in the ongoing trial of Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, appears to have run into fresh dilemma following the release of a legal opinion from the Ministry of Justice, which faulted the procedure for initiating prosecutions at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The legal opinion, which was originally released in respect of the case filed against the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe and which informed the withdrawal of the suit against the former minister at the CCT, had indicated that failure of the prosecution to obtain a statement from the suspects before filing that case was highly detrimental to the success of the suit.
Sources at the ministry confirmed that in line with the legal advice, the government, last week, withdrew the suit bordering on false asset declaration against Orubebe.
Sources confirmed that the decision to withdraw the charges was based on a legal advice from the Federal Ministry of Justice. in which it was strongly canvassed that the case against Orubebe as presently constructed and filed was fundamentally defective.
The Legal Advice issued by the Ministry of Justice, according to sources, was to the effect that since Orubebe was not invited to make a statement before he was dragged to the trial, the process might have negated the provisions of Section 379 (1) (a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The section lists prerequisites for embarking on criminal trial, indicating that one of the main items is the “copies of statements of the defendant.”
The Act also mentioned other ingredients of a trial to include the list of witnesses; list of exhibits to be tendered; summary of statements of the witnesses; copies of statement of the defendant, as well as other documents, report, or material that the prosecution intends to rely on for the prosecution.
The new criminal administration law also indicates that the prosecution must produce particulars of bail or bond, particulars of place of custody, particulars of plea bargain arranged and particulars of any previous interlocutory or remand proceedings in respect of the charge.
Legal luminaries at the Ministry of Justice were said to have told the Federal Government that without the statement of the defendant, the case could easily run into a hitch, adding that a similar situation led to the striking out of the suit filed against former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, in 2012.
A source had said: “That case against Saraki is already being encumbered by emerging details. The withdrawal of the suit against Orubebe is a clear pointer to the contents of a legal opinion in the Ministry of Justice, having looked at the contents of the Administration of Justice Act 2015.
Saraki’s counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, had also last week, argued before the CCT that the Senate President’s case should be handled the same way as that of Tinubu, who was discharged on the basis of the failure of the CCT to invite him for his statement before the trial.
Agabi had told the CCT last week that panel that the case against Saraki was flawed since the Senate President was not invited to clarify issues concerning his asset declaration form before he was charged before the CCT.
He had submitted that the failure of the CCT to act on the asset declaration forms of Saraki for 13 years should constitute a peril to the suit.
He told the court: “If for any reason, the defendant has committed any offence he should be informed. The defendant has not been given any opportunity to defend himself against the charges. The AGF has no jurisdiction to prefer the charges and, therefore, the Tribunal has no jurisdiction to hear it. 
“Under our constitution, the moment a man comes under justifiable suspicion, he must be informed promptly of the reasons for the suspicion.”
Meanwhile, a group known as the Nigeria Needs Positive Change Group (NNPCG) has asked the Federal Government to discontinue the case it instituted against the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
In a statement made available to journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Sunday, by the secretary of the group, Mr Jide Jokotade, the group said the need to discharge and acquit Dr Saraki became imperative in view of developments at last Friday’s sitting of the tribunal.
“The fact that two charges were dropped by the Federal Government owing to lack of evidence against Dr Saraki is a clear testimony that there were and there are still errors in the charges. 
“And this confirms earlier claims by Saraki and his supporters that the exercise at the CCT is persecution, not prosecution and it is politically motivated,” it said.
It described the continuation of the trial at the CCT as an abuse of power and judicial process, adding that “since the prosecutor had pronounced publicly and admitted to established  flaws in the trial, any further action in that direction amounts to persecution and political vendatta.
“If Dr Saraki is not acquitted immediately, the Federal Government must be honourable too to rearraign former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, whom the same prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, equally admitted    was discharged in error.”
“The  NNPCG having considered the credibility of this  trial, came to the conclusion that it was politically- motivated and orchestrated to deceive and mislead Nigerians. The credible option would be to discharge and acquit Senator Saraki.”

Kwara Political Elites and Their Pull-Down Syndrome; A Perpetual Hypocrisy That Would Perpetually Fail

By Bashir Akanbi

It is only in Kwara state one finds it difficult to differentiate between the educated class and illiterates because the discerning minds allow their selfish interests to reign while objectivity suffers. 

The so called Kwara elites, with higher academic certificates and political prowess, out of their political desperation, always tend to either incite the public against the Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki - through their fallacious dispatch of tales against him or be voluntary sources of fabricated stories to drag his personality through the smelly mud. I am personally curious on how some of them, whose grandparents were the late Dr. Sola Saraki’s political adversaries, particularly in Kwara Central and South Senatorial Districts of the state, carry out vengeance under the pretense of political activism – Kwara liberation crusade. 

The astounding perspective of this mendaciousness is that some of the hypocrites were aides and beneficiaries of Dr. Bukola Saraki while he served as the Governor of the state. Many of these people were relieved of their appointments for fraudulent conducts and financial mismanagements. 

In other cases, some of them were displaced by more ingenious Kwarans. This bitterness however is what resulted in their game of hoodwinking called ‘Freedom for Kwara.’ The question all sane Kwarans should ask them as regards this acclaimed ‘freedom’ is that, who chained their hands from being useful for the electorates in their clans which resulted in their failure to deliver at the polling units?

It is quite unfortunate that in our Kwara today, everything has been politicized. The orders of the day now are the manufacturing of fictitious tales about Saraki and the Kwara State Government by some feebleminded individuals.

I still do not see the reasons why the hypocritical elites are interested in Saraki’s case at the CCT and particularly want him convicted at all costs. However, it is always awkward to the noble profession of law, seeing some quack lawyers and anti-Saraki politicians with partisan analysis on the approaches of Saraki’s lawyers since the initiation of the persecution. I refer to it as persecution because it’s a game of hounding aimed at punishing him on his defiance to his party’s choice of candidate for the Senate Presidency and Principal Offices in the Senate. 

In all honesty, Saraki has not done anything that is administratively and politically illegitimate. I wonder what one and one’s legal team would have done when it’s glaring that he or she was singled out for persecution and not for apt prosecution in line with the laws of the land, like the case of Saraki has assumed in the Nigerian political legroom. 

The case was not only plagued with procedural errors but also needless media hoaxes via unethical platforms like Sahara Reporters, Premium Times, The Nation Newspaper among others. These campaigns were sponsored by anti-Saraki’s forces in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). 

I think it is high time Kwarans and indeed Nigerians stayed devoid of political sentiments and allowed the matter to be decided by the CCT and other courts of competent jurisdiction. It is noteworthy how Lagosians stood by Asiwaju Tinubu on the persecution by Goodluck Jonathan led Federal Government through same Code of Conduct Tribunal in 2011.

Some people have an incorrect belief that the conviction - God forbid - of the Senate President is their political triumph and only solution to the growth of Kwara State. I firmly disagree with that myopic belief. The truth must be said: how many of the so-called Kwara bigwigs who have even convicted Saraki before his trial commenced can boast of perfection in their atomic capacities? Saraki is definitely better than many of them including the real and pseudo-writers paid to stain his political journey. This is unless they are not Nigerians of our generation. This not different from the manner Kwarans condemned their own son, late Gen. Tunde Idiagbon who was Gen. Buhari’s best hand in the 80s, but regretted their action when their government was overthrown by Gen. Babangida who out of acrimony, moved our River Basin from Upper to Lower and our Airport that was operating international services then to Local. 

Must we always get it wrong and suffer before we attain wisdom in Kwara? Let the Yinka Aluko of this world who could not account for the 30 million Naira monthly security fund he got as Special Adviser on Security in Kwara State for 10 years - despite many communal crises and challenges - continue to prove holier than the Pope. Kwarans cannot trust him. He should rather continue to wail that he left Saraki’s camp because a Special Assistant on Security Matters who was monitoring his looting of security fund, was appointed. Let the old fool called Oyin Zubair Ajirotutu continue to dance his shakitibobo all because of the shameless chips he eats at Lai Muhammed’s house; he is so bootless that he cannot influence nothing. I also read few days ago that the Tunde Bakare of the unmarketable magazine called Kwara Tabloids solely administers a Whatsapp group called The Kwara Tabloid Forum, comprising of so many bad eggs, whom despite their huge financial mights (some are even billionaires), among the elites in Kwara, still have their aged grandmothers and grandfathers queueing for foods and cash at Saraki’s Charity House. 

Will we also blame the Sarakis whose dynasty of humanitarianism has been catering for the downtrodden for over four decades (even all through military regimes) for hosting their grandmas and papas? No! The useless grandkids get the blame not the Sarakis. Humanitarianism and philanthropic heart are not imitated but they are God’s given spirits that sustain Saraki’s dynasty till today. So, they should blame their forefathers for their past actions and inactions and themselves for not being fruitful for their immediate communities. 

As Kwarans, it is expected of us to always be on a quest to move Kwara forward to the climax of its glory. The truth is that the present economic downturn is not peculiar to Kwara alone but Nigeria as a whole. In all honesty, some of us that are not home based know Kwara’s case is even better. Let’s proffer viable and lasting solutions that are efficacious to rescuing Kwara out of the devilish situation because Kwara State is ours. Let Tunde Bakare speak with his oil baron madam, Bola Sagaya, to invest her billions of Naira at home and add to the economic progress of our Kwara. Lanre Issa Onilu should also speak with his benefactor, Gen. Abdullahi Muhammed who prefers to be called a Jos man than an Ilorin man, to come home and add value instead of all these their pull-him-down antics against Saraki. It's only when every privileged Kwaran contributes his bits, outside Kwara State Government's activities that we can have a Kwara State of our dream. 

We cannot continue to blame Saraki for all our deficiencies, we just have to think and act outside the box. We would not succeed as the governed class if what we read most of the times are those things that would suggest that Saraki has committed blasphemous things solely in Kwara State, without the involvement of those who preach his hate campaign to the public as his boys when the going was smooth between them. The Ilorites among them are even so desperate to sell out our so precious House of Sheik Alimi to Sahara Reporters who mocked the Emir of Ilorin as Saraki’s houseboy for the rumour that he sacked the Makama of Ilorin because of Saraki. I am happy and believe they will be in sad mood now when all the parties indicted in the rumour like the Emir, Makama himself and Governor Ahmed refuted these claims. 

Where was Omoyele Sowere who is a Lagosian and owns Sahara Reporters when the Oba of Lagos publicly declared support for Akinwumi Ambode before the 2015 general election and even cursed the Igbos in Lagos? As young as I am in my 30s, I was adequately informed of happenings in Ilorin before 11th November, 1995 when our Emir ascended the throne. I have not however, seen where our Emir came out to endorse, at the face of cameras, a candidate of a political party. He tells all that he is the father of all. They, the political desperados, should stop the depiction of their advocacy as if it is on behalf of majority of the people who in anyway still hold Saraki in high esteem. In spite of the stage-managed travails created by his political adversaries within and outside Kwara State, I am still very boastful and hopeful that Saraki will triumph these trying times and there will still be a powerful figure in both national and Kwara politics for some time to come.

Leave Saraki alone, we have wasted more than enough time in trying to either prosecute /persecute Saraki while the state of economy continue to fall, No fuel, No power but they are bu trying to use Saraki to appease the thin gods in his Party all because he emerged against the will of the Cabals....Leave Saraki alone, Nigerians can't continue to suffer for sins not committed. Governmt should focus on delivering electoral promises as promised prior to election. 11 months gone and we are yet to feel the changes..leave Saraki, leave Saraki!!! Nigerians are hungry and leaving in denial

Memorable quotes from CCT

"Discharge Saraki Like You Did Tinubu" Kanu Agabi

"Politicians are fighting on the Streets. One of them is beaten and he has come to the Court. He wants to use the court to settle the scores; to achieve what he could not achieve on the streets." Kanu Agabi

The Prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs also submitted that the CCT had in another judgement agreed that it freed Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in error. This coming five years means that Asiwaju Tinubu is today still liable to being charged before the CCT. Rotimi Jacobs

" Strike Out These Frivolous Charges and let us go home" Kanu Agabi

"AGF Can't institute Charges at the CCT. I made mistakes for filing charges in the CCT when I was AGF." Kanu Agabi

"We are not just challenging validity of the charges, we are also challenging the jurisdiction." Kanu Agabi

"The reason you (CCT) said you allowed Tinubu to go home was that ten other governors were invited, but he (Tinubu) was not invited, " Kanu Agabi

"Saraki has not been invited, he should be invited like Tinubu" Kanu Agabi

"The result of the investigation by bureau is expected to be presented to your Lordship, where is it? Where is the reference? We don't have it, you can strike it out and let them start afresh" Kanu Agabi

BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira: Saraki Upholds Pledge to Use Made-In-Nigeria Goods

The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has upheld his pledge to patronise Made-in-Nigeria goods.

During the recent Made in Aba Trade Fair in Abuja, Saraki and a few of the distinguished Senators that attended the fair, promised to advocate for increased patronage of made in Nigeria goods as a show of patriotism, and to help encourage the country's Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

Saraki also promised to champion a change in the Procurement Act of Nigeria, to give locally manufactured goods first option in the government procurement process. A motion to this effect has been raised and passed on the floor of the Senate.

Shortly after the trade fair, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing IVM paid a visit to the Senate President, and after extensive deliberations, Saraki promised to patronise the car maker too.

In line with the aforementioned promise, according to his Special Assistant on New Media, Bamikole Omishore, Saraki has also added IVM vehicles to his official motorcade.

During plenary today, Saraki also donned a completely Made-in-Aba Igbo attire.

Short Video Clip of Saraki's reaction after asking twice for vote on the Gender Equal Oppourtunity Bill #GEOBill


https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=bJf9GaYcWno

Saraki Promises Adequate Support for National Assembly Clinic

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki on Monday visited the National Assembly Clinic located in Area 11, Abuja and promised members of staff that the present National Assembly Will provide all the necessary support that will put the health institution in a position to offer world class medicare for the over 6000 staff and members of the National Assembly.

He said the plan is to ensure that the clinic is well equipped and staffed to an extent that it can extend its services to members of the public as part of efforts to further enhance the community relations efforts of the federal legislature.

The Senate President who was received at the Clinic by Director Medical Service, Dr Hamza Bashiru and the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Directorate, National Assembly Dr. Eme Moma-Efretuei said it was obvious the clinic needs to be further upgraded to fulfill the objective behind establishing it.

The National Assembly Extension Clinic was established in 2009 to provide a 24 hour medical service for legislators, staff of the two bicameral arms of the National Assembly, legislative aides and their family members as well as visitors that might need medical treatment while on the premises of the National Assembly Complex.

The National Assembly Annex Clinic has a 20 – Bed Capacity for in-patient, takes up to 100 outpatients a week and it is equipped with a pharmacy, theater room for surgery, dental, antenatal and gyneacology units with the recent addition of an emergency wing which was just established.

Dr. Bukola Saraki was shown round the premises of the clinic and he interacted with the medical personnel some of who stated that the clinic, at the moment lacked the necessary equipment to function at full capacity.

The medical staff pointed out that the current building housing the clinic is a rented facility. They further requested for the support of the leadership of the 8th National Assembly in ensuring the move to the permanent building at Gudu District, Abuja.

The Senate President who is also a medical doctor himself commended the efforts and commitment of the staff and assured them that they would soon notice positive changes in the facility available for their use.

Bamikole Omishore

Special Assistant on New Media

AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, HIS EXCELLENCY (DR) ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI, AT THE ONE-DAY PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY ACT, NO.16 OF 1979, CAP B2 LFN, 2004 (REPEAL AND RE-ENACTMENT) BILL 2016 HELD ON MONDAY, 14THMARCH, 2016.
 
Protocol; 
 
1.    It is with great pleasure that I welcome you our invited Guests to the 8th National Assembly, and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for this important public hearing. 
 
2.    I would like to thank the Distinguished Senators that serve on the Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions, and the very-able Chairman of the Committee, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, for the exemplary legislative work that they have been doing in the oversight of our banking and finance sectors. 
 
3.    The Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, (Repeal & Re-enactment) Bill, 2016, is one of the priority bills of the 8th Senate. This bill is considered priority because of its important role as a key contributor to better credit risk management and also as a vital credit availability and business management tool. This makes this public hearing special.
 
4.   Our public hearings are crucial avenues for us to distil public opinion and check the pulse of the nation over our policies and activities. Our objective is to provide our people with the needed space to participate in our lawmaking processes. These hearings are very important to us, as overtime, the input of actors from various fields and diverse backgrounds on particular legislative issues, have given our work here at the National Assembly, consensus and depth. 
 
5.    As we settle in to consider the issue before us at this session on the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, our contributions to the discussion of the day, must be guided by the fact that Nigeria is undergoing change; a re-evaluation, re-definition, and re-construction across all sectors of our lives.
 
6.   Our overarching objective is to reposition the Nigerian economy more effectively to the challenges of the 21st century. This is why the key policy priorities of the 8th Senate has been on business environment reform that would creates more jobs and opportunities for our youthful population, to promotes and sustains our domestic entrepreneurs, as well as to attract new investors into our country. 
 
7.    Consequently, we believe that it is important for us to continue the process of strengthening Nigeria’s business-related legislations by examining our bankruptcy laws. This is because global best practices have taught us that the bedrock of modern competitive economies is based on free entry and free exit. The role of an effective bankruptcy and insolvency system in delivering this cannot be over-emphasised.
 
8.    This would also mean that for free exit to be orderly in the event of losses, Nigeria needs stronger bankruptcy and insolvency laws to guide the process that would ensure that such firms that incur losses can easily break even and exit the markets using several market tools and intervention mechanisms. 
 
9.    Distinguished Committee Members and invited Guests, insolvency system and practice play important role in attracting both domestic and foreign investments as well as promoting innovation and entrepreneurial development. Given these opportunities, there is urgent need for us to repeal and re-enact this Act which has become obsolete and out-dated.
 
 
 
10.  As we continue to move forward with the business of the day, I would like to thank everyone for coming. I would also like to thank you all for participating in this process and giving us your much-needed views and recommendations. 
 
11.   I wish to seize this opportunity to reiterate that the 8th Senate is committed to delivering our legislative agenda to enable the Executive entrench and underpin the diversification of the economy and expand our people’s opportunity to contribute to better governance. This however, requires all hands on deck; we cannot do this alone.
 
12.  May I now formally declare open this public hearing on the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act Amendment Bill 2016.
 
13.   God bless you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
 
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

I didn't Sack PTA Chairman For Criticising Saraki: Gov Ahmed
Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed has denied removing the Chairman of the Parent Teachers Association(PTA) for allegedly criticizing the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar  Bukola Saraki.

Governor Ahmed, in statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said the PTA is a non-governmental organization and is therefore not subject to governmental control including removal or suspension of its officials.

The State Governor therefore dismissed  a SaharaReporters story claiming he punished the PTA chairman as the latest instalment in the online medium's sponsored attacks on the person of Dr. Saraki.

Dr. Ahmed stressed that he and the Senate President fully support the constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of expression and could neither have instigated nor directed the removal of the PTA chairman on account of his alleged criticism of Dr. Saraki. 

He also described as false, and mischievous the medium's claim that the state government's support for Dr. Saraki in his ongoing trial at the Code Of Conduct Tribunal was responsible for the delay in the payment of salaries of workers, adding that Dr. Saraki is fully capable of funding his legal Defence and associated costs without recourse to public funds. 

Dr. Ahmed clarified that the state government was fully up to date in the payment of its workers salaries while stating that the drop in Federal allocation which has negatively impacted on all tiers of government was the reason local government councils in the state were owing their workers.

Presidency denies cancelling Osinbajo Indian trip because of Saraki



The Presidency on Sunday denied the cancellation of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s planned trip to India for fear that the embattled President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, may become acting President.

An online news medium, Sahara Reporters, had reported that Osinbajo’s planned trip was cancelled when it was discovered that President Muhammadu Buhari would also be out of the country at the time.

The report had insinuated that the Vice-President’s trip was called off in order to ensure that Saraki, who is the third in hierarchy in the country, did not emerge acting President in the absence of Buhari and Osinbajo.



A source in the Presidency, said, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that it was an unwritten rule that the President and Vice President could not be outside the country at the same time.

The source said it was wrong to think that cancelling Osinbajo’s trip had anything to do with Saraki, adding that the unwritten rule preceded the present administration.

Besides, he said if he had embarked on the trip, the Vice-President would have returned to Nigeria latest by Wednesday, stating that Buhari, who is travelling to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, is scheduled to return on Tuesday.

“If the President is travelling on Monday and will return on Tuesday, how many hours are you expecting Saraki to begin to wield the powers of a President?” he said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, told journalists that there was no truth in the report that the Indian trip was cancelled.

Akande said, “Nigeria has been invited to the Indian/African Summit and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment will be leading a delegation to the event.

“There is nothing like cancellation. Remember that the visit of the Vice-President to any country is not treated in secrecy.

“Whenever the Vice-President is to travel out of the country, we inform Nigerians. So, this story in question is a bunch of speculation. There is no cancellation.”

We'll Never Cover Up Corruption, Says Bukola Saraki

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has reiterated the commitment of the current Senate to supporting the Buhari administration's fight against corruption, saying "under my watch the Senate will never cover corruption except if the information didn't come to us".

Speaking with a team of editors of the London based "The Economist" newspaper at the weekend, Saraki, according to the statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Mohammed Isa, said the Senate is ever ready to partner with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the success of the  anti-corruption war.‎

The Senate, he said had already demonstrated such commitment through its interventions on many alleged corrupt transactions such as its swift investigation and adoption of a report on the management of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) that saved the nation about N7billion and the exposure of the inconsistencies in the 2016 budget.

The step, he said was a departure from the past where such reports were either watered-down or not presented for debate and adoption. He cited the report he presented to the last Senate on the over N1trillion fuel subsidy scam that never saw the light of the day.

In furtherance to the commitment, the Senate President said Nigerians would in the next few weeks be availed with the details of the National Assembly budget which will be a departure from the tradition of having one line item budget.

"For the first time we promised Nigerians to give out  our budget breakdown. The committee will make its report available by next week. We are resolved to break the tradition of one line item," he emphasized.

Saraki said though party differences exist between the senators, citing example of the leadership tussle, he, however said, national interest and the desire of each senator to fulfil the promises made to Nigerians have become the guiding principle of the senate in their team work.

On the  economy, he said the Senate has embarked on series of legislative interventions to create conducive environment for the private sector, as he said, "it is only when the  private sector thrives that the issue of unemployment will be addressed and the nation's GDP will increase."

"Few days ago, we received a report on the laws that need to be amended in order of priority importance to ease doing business and overall private sector participation in the stimulation of Nigeria's economy. We will soon commence the implementation of the recommendations in the report in addition to pushing for the amendment of the Procurement Act to stimulate and protect our local industries," he assured.

He blamed lack of firmness and consistency in policy implementation by the past administrations as the main obstacle for the growth of the private sector.

"If people have confidence that these policies have come to stay, nothing will stop them from coming to invest in the country," he stressed.

He allayed the fears that the low prices of oil will have negative impact on the implementation of the 2016 budget, saying that, "what we need to do is to block leakages and show more transparency."

"If we can block leakages, stop the wastages and institute a culture of transparency in governance, the revenue in-flow will not be substantially affected. Without these, even if oil is sold at more than a $100 per barrel, we will continue to witness a decline in revenue in-flow as we witnessed in the past," Saraki said.

Independent Candidacy Bill Pass First Reading

The Bill to provide for Independent Candidacy in the Nigeria political system was on the floor of the Senate was on Wednesday re- introduced by the Lawmaker representing Anambra North Senatorial District, Senator Stella Oduah. 

The Bill titled: 1999 constitution of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill 2016 (SB. 228) in the tradition of the senate was introduced and read for the first time by the Senate Leader Senator Ali Ndume and the Clerk of the Senate

This Bill seeks to amend sections 131 (c) 177 (c) 62 (2) & 106 (d) of 1999 Nigeria Constitution as amended which stipulates that candidates for elections must be sponsored by political parties.

On the 19th February 2016, Oduah took to her twitter handle to declare her intentions to sponsor a bill that will ensure the provision for independent candidacy in Nigeria and called on her colleagues at the Nigeria Senate to support the bill when it is presented on the floor of the Senate Chamber.

According to her "the impact of this cannot be overemphasized as it will create room for independence of candidates in Nigeria electoral system and give more well meaning citizens opportunity to participate in governance."

She pledged to do all within her reach as a lawmaker with support from her colleagues and the 8th senate leadership to ensure that this opportunity is secured for Nigerians.

"I will do all within my power, with the support of my colleagues of the Nigeria Senate to ensure that this democratic freedom is secured for Nigerians." She stated

We recall that the 7th National Assembly had debated and supported the independent candidate clause and made an alteration; by inserting a new paragraph (d), which reads, “He is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that party or he is an independent candidate” in the fourth amendment to the 1999, however it failed to scale through before the end of the last assembly.

PRESS STATEMENT
KWSG To Workers: No BVN, No Salaries

The Kwara State government has directed state and local government workers and pensioners that are yet to provide their Bank Verification Number (BVN) for the ongoing staff verification exercise to do so within seven days or risk nonpayment.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who gave the directive on Tuesday during a meeting of the Committee on Personnel Database Development, said government has no intention of withholding any worker's salary without justification.  He said the affected workers and pensioners will still be credited with their salaries and pensions but will not be able to access the money until they obtain BVN.  

Governor Ahmed, who is also chairman of the Committee, explained that the unique bank numbers were necessary for preliminary verification of workers and pensioners on the state and local government councils’ payroll, noting that at this stage of the verification those without valid BVN could not yet be designated as ghost workers.

Governor Ahmed said the intention behind the Personnel Database System is to give the government an accurate picture of the state and Local Government Councils' payroll and ensure that only those properly employed receive salaries and pensions.

In his remarks, the Alternate Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Isiaka Gold disclosed that of the 82, 642 workers so far verified by the committee, only 49, 579 have valid BVN while 124 were discovered to have fake BVN. He said that the first level verification also revealed 324 individuals who were linked to 659 multiple accounts. 

Alhaji Gold, who is also the Secretary to the State Government, therefore, urged workers and pensioners that are yet to submit their BVN to do so within 7 days or risk having their payments withheld. He called on workers who were properly recruited by the state and local governments to remain calm, while assuring them that the ongoing verification exercise will not affect their salaries and jobs. 

 

Muideen Akorede, PhD

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor,
(Media and Communication),
Government House,
Ilorin.

I invite you to follow @Governor_Ahmed on twitter

Saraki Pays Tribute to Osinbajo at 59‎

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday lauded the unwavering commitment of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to the development of Nigeria.

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu in Abuja. congratulated the Vice President on his 59th birthday celebration.

The Senate President said that Osinbajo remains very vibrant and steadfast to the course of building a progressive and prosperous Nigeria where justice, equity and freedom are fundamental values.


"Osinbajo has been a success right from his early years. As a teacher, he excelled. His probity earned him great respect in the legal profession. He is a true servant of God and we are very proud of his antecedents.

"You will agree with me that Osinbajo, as a dynamic Vice President, has continued to positively impact on the nation's political, economic and social sectors for the betterment of the country," Saraki said.

The Senate President said he counts it all joy to celebrate one of the pillars of the ruling party, the  All Progressive Congress (APC), just as he prayed the Almighty God to continue to grant the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, wisdom, courage, excellent health and many more years of fruitful service to the fatherland. 

END
Signed

Yusuph Olaniyonu 
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to the Senate President

Press Release


March 7, 2016


Ocholi's Death,  A Monumental Loss, Says Saraki 


...Condemns killing of APC Chieftain, Wife,  Son in Rivers 

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki on Monday expressed deep shock and disbelief over the demise of  Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Chief James Ocholi, his wife and eldest son in a road mishap along the Abuja - Kaduna road on Sunday.

The Senate President has also condemned the murder of an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Mr.  Franklin Obi,  his wife and 18-year old son in Rivers State.

Saraki in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu in Abuja, described the tragic death of such a "promising Nigerian" like the late Minister as a colossal loss to the present administration in particular and the country at large. 


He condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the Governor and people of Kogi State,  leaders and people of North Central zone and the immediate family of the deceased over the unfortunate incident.


Saraki said: "I still recall when the late Ocholi appeared before the Senate to be screened and confirmed as Minister a few months ago. He was not only full of life, he came across to me as a man of great ideas and accomplishments. 


"He was very articulate and brilliant in his presentation and gave good account of himself as Senior Advocate of repute, who given the chance to discharge the duty assigned to him, would have contributed immensely in turning around the story of unemployment in this country. 


"His death and that of his wife and eldest son, is a colossal loss to me, his immediate family, the people and government of Kogi State, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the entire country", he stated.


He prayed God to grant the souls of the deceased enternal rest, while he urged Nigerians especially his immediate family to be comforted by the fact that Ocholi breathed his last while on acting service for his father land. 


Meanwhile, Saraki has called on security agencies to unravel the masterminds of the dastardly killing of Rivers APC Chieftain, Franklin Obi and members of his immediate family.

Saraki described the avoidable bloodletting as callous and called on security agencies to ensure adequate protection of lives and property across the country to prevent repeat occurrence. 


End‎


Signed
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Senate President.

Breaking: Ahmed Lays 1000 Housing Units' Foundation

@Governor_Ahmed will today lay the foundation for 1000 housing units at BudoOsho as one of many plans to bridge housing deficit in Kwara.

We Remain Solidly Behind Saraki, Say Senators

Some Senators today (Sunday) said they and an overwhelming majority of their colleagues remain solid and unshakeable in their support for President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

In obvious reaction to a news story published by a national newspaper, the Senators in a statement said there is no truth about claims that some Senators are discussing or thinking about Saraki's successor because there was  no basis for that.

They stated that they decided to issue the statement after consulting their colleagues who said they have been bombarded with calls from their constituents demanding to know the veracity of the claims contained in the news story.

"The particular newspaper and their sponsors are simply undermining the judiciary by writing a story to pre-empt the outcome of a judicial process. They are playing God, forgetting that Saraki would not have been  Senate President if God Almighty did not wish it. He is the only Senate President who in less than one year had votes of confidence passed by 85 of the 109 Senators. If we have a motion for confidence vote today, we are sure that 90 Senators will endorse the Senate President.

"Let us make it clear, our position remains the same. The case against Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal is not a case of corruption. It is a case of political persecution. Again, he remains innocent until the case has gone through the final floor of the judicial architecture. We have no doubt that the mischief will fail and so we are solidly behind him.

"In the mischievous report aimed at prejudicing the CCT trial, a method typical of detractors who are behind this persecution called prosecution, they sought to present a case of division in the rank of the supporters of the Senate President by mentioning a Senator from Kwara North, without giving the name of the Senator. We have spoken with our colleague from Kwara North, Senator Shaaba Lafiagi and we can say it that he remains a loyal supporter of Dr. Saraki. He also told us he has never heard of any discussion about having a replacement for the Senate President. He further described the news story as mere speculation.

"We want to alert members of the public that this is the typical method that those detractors of the Senate President have employed since the beginning of the case last September. They sponsor stories in some newspapers and online publications to blackmail and prejudice judges, and compel them to take decisions in a predetermined manner. This is another example of the same devious campaign. They think they can achieve outside the Senate what they failed to achieve on the floor of the Senate. They will fail.

"We continue to stand by Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki and nothing will change that", the Senators  stated.

Signed:

Senator Rafiu Ibrahim

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi

Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi

Senator Isa Hamma Misau

Senator Samuel Anyanwu

Senator Lanre Tejuoso

Saraki: Senate Will Uphold Rights of Disabled Persons


Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has said that the National Assembly will prioritize Bills aimed at protecting and safeguarding the rights of persons living with disabilities in the country.


Saraki, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, gave the pledge when the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities led by its Executive Director, Mr. David Anyaele visited him in Abuja. 


According to Saraki, it does not speak well of any country where people living with disabilities are neglected or denied access to basic amenities including access to justice. 


Saraki said: "I want to assure you that the 8th Senate is truly committed to rejig and redefine the issues. I think what has happened in the past is the issue of not making the rights of people with special needs a priority.


"I want to assure you that the 8th Senate will not stop. We are your partners. We are ready to work to protect your rights and to ensure there is a departure from what has happened in the past. 


"It is by providing those laws that we will provide the enabling environment that will redefine these type of challenges. It is not good for us as a country for our disabled persons to feel neglected and deprived and I want to assure you that we will work to change the narrative in the 8th Senate," he said.


Earlier, the Executive Director of Centre For Citizens with Disabilities, Mr. David Anyaele, lamented that people with disabilities in the country find it difficult to access public infrastructure and justice nationwide. 


He decried a situation where about 25million Nigerians living with disabilities and their families are being caged as a result of inability to care for their loved ones. 


According to him, even the Ministry of Women Affairs which coordinates other line agencies for the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in the country has not made adequate provision for easy access to its building.


Anyaele said: "Our purpose of coming to your office today is to share with you the findings of our research on access to public infrastructure in Nigeria. It will interest you to know that more than 99.5 per cent of public infrastructure in Nigeria are not accessible to persons with disabilities. 


"In fact, all the line ministries, department and agencies that have been earmarked for the national policy on the rehabilitation of  persons with disabilities are not accessible including the Coordinating Ministry - Ministry of Women Affairs," he said.


End


Signed 


Sanni Onogu

Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President