Update: Justice Morri Adumein of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday refused the ex parte application filed by embattled Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki,
seeking a stay of execution of the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Also, Justice Ahmed Mohammed of a Federal High Court in Abuja said the court will not waste time on interlocutory matters.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal has ordered IG of Police to produce Senate President, Bukola Saraki in court tomorrow by 10:00 AM.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, gave the ruling today, after Saraki failed to show up before the Tribunal for the second time.
Earlier Counsel to the Senate President, Daudu Joseph has said that the Code of Conduct Tribunal is not properly constituted, arguing that it must be made of the Chairman and two members.
Daudu noted that the tribunal is at present made up of the Chairman and a member.
However, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Danladi Umar maintained that the tribunal is properly constituted. It then adorned for one hour to decide on Saraki’s absence.
Saraki is facing a 13-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and false declaration of assets, levelled against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
The tribunal led by Justice Danladi Umar rejected Saraki’s lawyer’s prayer that it stay proceeding to await the outcome of an appeal he filed against the bench warrant earlier issued on Friday.
The tribunal also discountenanced the argument by Saraki’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), that the newly passed Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) – which seeks to discourage undue delay – is not applicable to the tribunal.
It noted that the purported order made last week by Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, did not stay the proceedings before the tribunal.
