The appeal filed to the Supreme Court by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki against the Court of Appeal’s decision to restore three of the 18 counts earlier dismissed by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) is billed for hearing today. Today’s judgement of the Supreme Court will determine whether or not the protracted trial by the CCT will continue. The Tribunal had in March adjourned indefi nitely the trial of the Senate President on charges of false assets declaration.
The adjournment, according to the Danladi Umar-led CCT, was to await the decision of the Supreme Court on the appeal fi led by Saraki and the federal government’s cross-appeal in respect of the case. Similarly, last month, the Supreme Court equally adjourned indefinitely hearing in the two appeals fi led by Saraki and federal government to enable federal government fi le and exchange processes relating to the legal tussle between both parties. However, penultimate week, the apex court had issued a hearing notice to the parties involved in the appeal, fi xing today for the proceedings. It would be recalled that Saraki and the federal government are separately contesting the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which nullifi ed 15 out of the 18 charges preferred against Saraki by the government for being baseless and frivolous but asked Saraki to open defence on the remaining 3 charges. While Saraki is praying the Supreme Court to void the entire 18 charges, the federal government in its own crossappeal is praying the court to uphold the entire charges against the Senate President.
