The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal brought before it by Nigeria Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Saraki had approached the appellate court asking the court to stop his corruption trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal claiming the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to proceed to try him for falsely declaration his assets as required by law.
In their rulings, the three justices of the Court of Appeal ruled unanimously today that the Code of Conduct Tribunal has jurisdiction to try the President of the 8th National Assembly for falsely declaring his assets.
Last week Saraki secretly filed another lawsuit before a federal high court in Lagos seeking an order to stop his trial, that suit was allotted to Ibrahim Buba, a controversial judge known for granting perpetual injunctions to stop corruption investigations. Justice Buba could not grant the order because a lawyer from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been tipped off about the plot. His unexpected appearance before Justice Buba forced the judge to adjourn the case till November 2nd, 2015.
The ruling at the Court of Appeal today means that the trial of the senate president would continue at the Code of Conduct Tribunal as planned. Lawyers to Saraki has vowed to proceed to the Supreme Court to challenge today’s ruling.