Saraki’s Trial Takes A Dramatic Turn As His Lawyer Refuses To Be Intimidated By CCT Chairman

We knew Senate President Bukola Saraki’s trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal(CCT) 

was going to be an interesting one, we just didn’t envisage so much drama.

Multiple sources have it that there was a bit of a ruckus at the CCT earlier today when 

the CCT Chairman,Danladi Umar, ordered men from the police force to throw out

 Saraki’s legal counsel, Mr. Raphael Oluyede.

Here’s how Vanguard reports it:

There was mild drama at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday, as the

 CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, refused to hear the motion filed by counsel of the 

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on his (Umar) alleged bias.

Umar dismissed the application asking him to disqualify himself from the case.

“That motion as far as the tribunal is concerned is of no consequence; not worthy to 

be entertained and is hereby thrown away,” said Mr. Umar.

Mr. Raphael Oluyede, Saraki’s lawyer, brought to the attention of the court, a motion filed 

on Wednesday, April 20th, 2016, seeking the CCT boss to disqualify himsel

f from participating in the trial based on bias.

The motion contended that the continued presence of Umar on the panel of Tribunal 

offended the provisions of Section 36(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria, which prescribes that “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, 

including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, 

a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other

 tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence

 and impartiality”.

However, when Oluyede attempted to bring up the motion, Justice Umar repeatedly 

yelled at him to “Sit down.”

After Oluyede demanded to be heard, Umar, upset by the revelations, called for police

 officers to throw out the counsel to the Senate President. However, Oluyede sat down

 on arrival of the police officers and maintained that he would not be intimidated.

However, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, intervened and pleaded with

 Mr. Danladi to calm the situation.