Senators of the Federal republic of Nigeria,
today, abandoned their sitting – one of the three
days the National Assembly has for plenary in a
week – in other to attend the trial of their
presiding officers.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his Deputy,
Ike Ekweremadu, are facing trial for allegedly
forging Senate Rules that brought them to power
in a suit filed by the Federal Government in June
before a High Court in Abuja.
The trial resumed today, Wednesday, and like
previous days of Saraki’s trial at Code of
Conduct Tribunal for charges bordering on false
assets declaration, the Senate did not open for
plenary.
Not all the Senators followed Messrs. Saraki and
Ekweremadu to court today, but about 40 of
them did.
Since the National Assembly was inaugurated in
June 9 last year, the Senate has sat for 112
days, giving an 11-day difference between the
upper legislative arm and the House of
Representatives which has sat for 123 days,
including Wednesday’s session.
In the first year, June 9, 2015 – June 9 , 2016,
the Senate and the House of Representatives sat
for 96 and 104 times respectively, falling far
short of 181 days required by the constitution.
Meanwhile, the Saraki’s trial was stalled because
the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar, said he had
not prepared his response to a fresh motion by
the defendants challenging the jurisdiction of the
court.
Mr. Umar is prosecuting the case on behalf of
the Attorney General of the Federal, Abubakar
Malami.
The matter was adjourned in July till September
28 following the annual vacation of the judiciary.
Senators of the Federal republic of Nigeria,
today, abandoned their sitting – one of the three
days the National Assembly has for plenary in a
week – in other to attend the trial of their
presiding officers.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his Deputy,
Ike Ekweremadu, are facing trial for allegedly
forging Senate Rules that brought them to power
in a suit filed by the Federal Government in June
before a High Court in Abuja.
The trial resumed today, Wednesday, and like
previous days of Saraki’s trial at Code of
Conduct Tribunal for charges bordering on false
assets declaration, the Senate did not open for
plenary.
Not all the Senators followed Messrs. Saraki and
Ekweremadu to court today, but about 40 of
them did.
Since the National Assembly was inaugurated in
June 9 last year, the Senate has sat for 112
days, giving an 11-day difference between the
upper legislative arm and the House of
Representatives which has sat for 123 days,
including Wednesday’s session.
In the first year, June 9, 2015 – June 9 , 2016,
the Senate and the House of Representatives sat
for 96 and 104 times respectively, falling far
short of 181 days required by the constitution.
Meanwhile, the Saraki’s trial was stalled because
the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar, said he had
not prepared his response to a fresh motion by
the defendants challenging the jurisdiction of the
court.
Mr. Umar is prosecuting the case on behalf of
the Attorney General of the Federal, Abubakar
Malami.
The matter was adjourned in July till September
28 following the annual vacation of the judiciary.
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