Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has finally showed up at the Code of Conduct Tribunal after days of intense pressure to stop the proceedings of the CCT.
He faces a 13-count charge bordering on corruption and false assets declaration.
Mr. Saraki said Monday that he would appear before the tribunal, after the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed his application for a stay of execution.
He arrived at the tribunal at about 10.20am, accompanied by deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and other senators. The tribunal has disallowed live broadcast of its proceedings.
There was an argument at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, over where Saraki was to stay in taking his plea on the 13-count charges preferred against him which border on false assets declaration.
While the prosecution team led by Rotimi Jacobs insisted that the rule of law must prevail, by Saraki taking his plea from the dock, the Senate President’s counsel, Joseph Daudu countered that the administration of the criminal justice system does not apply at the tribunal, hence Saraki should take his plea from wherever he is already seated at the tribunal.
Eventually, the prosecution prevailed with Saraki taking a seat at the dock.
Meanwhile, Saraki has pleaded not guilty to all 13 count charges read to him by Rotimi Jacobs.
While responding personally to all the charges, he pointed to the court that section 3, of Code of Conduct gives opportunity for him to be invited personally by the Code of Conduct Bureau to explain the circumstances with which complaints were raised against him.
He further submitted that the provisions were not exhausted, while stressing that this was the first time such a thing was happening to a man of his standing.
In his response, Rotimi Jacobs averred that section 3 of the Code of Conduct Tribunal in question was an act that has no supervening force on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended with which Saraki swore to uphold when those Crimes were committed by him.
At this point Saraki sought for adjournment through his counsel. He said: My Lord, this is now the time for all of us to go home so that we come back at another day (laughter).
