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CCT: Court Rules On Saraki’s Appeal, Today
The Court of Appeal will today deliver judgment in the appeal filed by Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, challenging his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
Saraki is facing trial at the CCT on charges of alleged false declaration of his assets.
Justice Moore Adumein, who led two other justices of the court, fixed today for judgment after entertaining arguments from counsel to parties in the suit.
At the hearing, counsel to Saraki, Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN) raised five major issues for determination by the court.
Daudu averred that the CCT erred in law by proceeding with the trial of his client with two members instead of the mandatory three members as provided by the Constitution.
“The composition of the tribunal during the trial of my client violated paragraphs 15(1) of the 1999 Constitution by sitting with two members instead of three.
“My Lord we are seeking the court’s understanding to nullify the CCT proceedings of last month due to lack of quorum,’’ he said.
Daudu further held that the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to try criminal matter which formed part of the charges.
He objected to the arguments of Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) Counsel to the Federal Government on the Interpretation Act.
He, therefore, urged the court to discountenance the prosecution’s argument that the Act could be used to resolve the constitutional logjam since the Constitution was silent on the quorum for membership of the tribunal.
Daudu insisted that the Interpretation Act could not override the Constitution being the supreme law.
“To ask that the Act of Interpretation be used to override constitutional provision is wrong and unheard off.
“That in itself will amount to product of misinterpretation because the Constitution is the supreme law and not an Act,’’ he argued.
The counsel also argued that the tribunal was wrong in assuming criminal jurisdiction against the Senate President when it was not a superior court of record.
Daudu, who cited several authorities, submitted that the tribunal could not assume concurrent jurisdiction with the Federal High Court, adding that the tribunal was by law inferior.
He, therefore, urged the appeal court to nullify the proceedings of the tribunal against Saraki and set aside criminal charges filed against him.
On his part, the prosecution urged the appellate court to dismiss the arguments advanced by the applicant’s counsel for lacking in merit.
Jacobs held that the Constitution was silent on the quorum of membership of the tribunal in handling of cases.
He urged the court to invoke the Interpretation Act to resolve the issue in favour of the respondent.
The respondent’s counsel also submitted that the tribunal had criminal jurisdiction because of the use of words like “guilty” and “punishment” in the law that established it.
The presiding Judge struck out an application by Saraki praying for a stay of further proceedings at the tribunal.
The Judge said the court was compelled to do that because the grounds on which the prayers rested had been overtaken with the hearing of the substantive matter.
“On the whole, the court has listened to all the issues raised; therefore, ruling is fixed for October 19,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr Umar Danladi had assumed jurisdiction on the matter.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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