News Obiaks News

The Northern Ethnic Nationalities Unity Congress (NENUC) yesterday called for the resignation of the Senate President Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki. The call came just as the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) secured a bench warrant for the arrest of the embattled Senate President by the CCB Tribunal over allegations of false declaration of assets dated back to 2003.

The Code of Conduct Bureau had invited Bukola Saraki following the serving on him of a court summon, but the later had refused to appear in court to honour the court's summon. This angered the tribunal led by justice Danladi Usman, who then ordered Saraki's  arrest.

While giving the court order, the judge said: He noted that the tribunal ranks equal with the Federal High Court and that appeal lies from it to the Court of Appeal.

“Courts of equal jurisdiction are not bound by the decisions of each other. Therefore, a superior court of record cannot issue an order prohibiting or restraining the proceedings of another court of record.

The court cannot grant injunction restraining proceedings of a court of equal jurisdiction

“This tribunal has called on the defendant to appear before it and stand trial. The defendant cannot claim ignorance of these proceedings, having been duly notified.

“The defendant, as a top ranking public officer of this country, is expected to respect the constitutional provisions, which he has sworn to defend, and at the same time, knowing the obvious implication of breaking the law in this country.

“In view of this, this tribunal shall continue with these proceedings, and accordingly, in view of the non-appearance of the defendant, this tribunal orders that Inspector General of Police or the relevant security agencies to produce the defendant before this tribunal.

Reacting to the development, the northern group said the Senate President should resign before he drags the image and reputation of the office he presently occupies further in the mud.

Speaking with reporters yesterday, the National President and Convener of the group, Mr Bako Benjamin, said it is disgusting that the Senate President would rather be seeking court’s protection than going before the anti graft agency to clear his name of the charges. “Let the Senate President come to equity with clean hands. Let him defend himself against all the charges levelled against him in the spirit of the new wind of change blowing across the country,” Benjamin said.

He said the anti-corruption war spearheaded by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would be futile if people like the Senate President continue to seek protection from the law courts rather than presenting themselves for the acid test. Benjamin, who noted that the recourse to the court itself is an admission of guilt, said: “Seeking protection from the law courts is sending a strong signal that he has something to hide.”

The group, he said, has therefore given the Senate President a three-day ultimatum to honourably resign to prevent impeachment proceedings against him for his eventual removal from the exalted office.

NENUC said Saraki’s continued stay in office is “capable of sending wrong signals to the international community and pose a huge question mark on President Buhari’s commitment to ridding the nation of corruption. He said NENUC would not hesitate to mobilise other well-meaning Nigerians to march on the National Assembly in protest should the Senate President refuse to honourably resign from office within reasonable time.