Asset Declaration: CCT dismisses Saraki’s motion asking judge to disqualify himself

Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, has dismissed an application by Senate President Bukola Saraki asking him, to disqualify himself from hearing his trial on false asset declaration. Saraki is standing trial for alleged false declaration of assets while he was serving as governor of Kwara state.

Delivering judgement on Saraki's application today, the Chairman of the Tribunal said he would have disqualified himself if the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which established and binds the tribunal, had made provisions for such an instance where the CCT Chairman can unilaterally disqualify himself from a case.

He added that for the President to remove the Chairman or a member of the Tribunal, there must a written address from the president to the national assembly and a two-third consent from both chambers of the legislative.

He ruled that the allegation by Saraki that he is bias in his case is a "mere conjecture of the media" "The application of the defendant is not well founded and it is hereby refused" he ruled.