Judge disqualifies self from Saraki’s suit to stop trial at CCT

Justice Abdukadir Abdu-Kafarati of the Federal High Court in Abuja has disqualified himself from a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to quash the assets falsification charges brought against him by the federal government at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.

Kafarati, who had on March 1 fixed Tuesday for delivery of judgment on the suit, rather announced his withdrawal from the case on the basis that his integrity had been called to question in the matter.

Following an online news report which accused him of corruption to the tune of N2bn, the judge held that if he ruled against or for Saraki, his decision would be interpreted differently. He therefore requested the Chief Judge of the court to reassign the case to another judge.

According to him, “It is only in this country that people can wake up and start calling people names.

“In the circumstance, I disqualify myself from this case. I will hereby send the case file to the chief judge for re-assignment to another judge.”

It would be recalled that shortly after the judgment of the Supreme Court dismissing Saraki’s appeal to stop his trial, his lawyer, Ajibola Oloyede last month filed the lawsuit asking the Federal High Court to stop the Senate President’s trial and to disqualify the chairman of the CCT, who is presiding over the trial.

Saraki argued that his rights to fair hearing was violated by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, which he said failed to invite him for explanation before it filed charges against him at the tribunal