Senate President Bukola Saraki says he will appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal today (Tuesday) to answer to the 13 charges brought against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Saraki said this in a statement posted on his Facebook page and official Twitter handle on Monday.
The statement read in part, “While the Senate President stated and maintained that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, he also believes that he has an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are about to be infringed upon.
“The Senate President is a law abiding citizen and his absence from the tribunal was based on legal advice he received from his counsel that it is not necessary for him to appear before the tribunal at this stage since the jurisdiction of the tribunal and the process of initiating the matter are being challenged before the federal High Court Abuja.
“Following the adjournment for the determination of the motion on notice and the substantive suit before the Federal High Court to 30th of September and the appeal pending before the Court of Appeal adjourned to the 29th of September 2015, the Senate President has decided, as a law abiding citizen, to appear before the Tribunal in the interim.”
Saraki added that he decided to take the step to demonstrate his respect for the rule of law in spite of his personal reservation on the process of the trial.
He added that he was, however, confident in the ability of the judiciary to ensure that the course of justice is not altered.
I will be at the Tribunal Tomorrow, Tuesday @Bukolasaraki The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki… http://t.co/DHhyxVRlhl
— Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) September 21, 2015
Meanwhile, Justice Morri Adumein of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday refused the ex parte application filed by embattled 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.
He said, all pending matters have been adjourned till September 30 to hear both the substantive matters and preliminary objection.
