Saraki should resign as Senate President – FG counsel

Rotimi Jacobs, the leading prosecuting counsel for the Federal Government in the 13-count false asset declaration charge against Senator Bukola Saraki has said Saraki should immediately resign as President of the Senate since he (Saraki) has called for Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) chairman to step down.

Jacobs who expressed his frustration at Saraki’s unending tactics to stall or prolong the trial, argued that, since Saraki finds Justice Danladi Umar unfit to hold the CCT chairman position because he is investigated by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he too should resign as senate president because he is also investigated by the anti-graft agency.

He noted that the defendant (Saraki) though undergoing trial is still holding onto his position as senate president.

“A criminal investigation is an investigation. The defendant here is still performing his duty as a senator since he was charged to court. Today, he is Senate President and he is saying somebody that has not even been charged should not be allowed to perform his duty,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs also said even if it was true that the CCT Chairman is being investigated by the EFCC, it cannot be a reason to stop him from performing his job.

He also argued that the matter before the tribunal is a case pursued by the Federal Government of Nigeria, hence the case is FGN vs Dr. Olubukola Saraki.

He said the defendant (Saraki) has already filed a case at the Court of Appeal on the same argument that the CCB lacked authority to delegate its powers to EFCC and that EFCC cannot prosecute a matter before the CCT.

“Rather than wait for the outcome of the Court of appeal case, he now filed this application for you to disqualify yourself.

“And if you look at the affidavit in support of the application, all what the defendant was saying is that it is the EFCC that is prosecuting you.

“EFCC is a party before this Tribunal. He is saying that since a party is investigating the chairman, the impression of the reasonable man is that he will not be able to get justice,” said the prosecuting counsel.