Saraki Suffers Setback As Court Okays CCT’s Corruption Trial

An effort by Senate President Bukola Saraki to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has been thwarted.

The appeal court has upheld the trial of the Senate president on 13 counts over a false assets’ declaration.

In a ruling this morning, October 30, Justice Moore Adumen of the Court of Appeal, reading the unanimous verdict of the three-man panel, said the tribunal, which tried the Senate president on September 22 and on October 21, was properly constituted, PM news reports.

Adumen added that the tribunal led by Danladi Umar could sit with the chairman and one other member.

Indicating why the verdict was delayed, Adumen said that the earlier scheduled date, October 19, had to be shifted at the eleventh hour, because the justices had to struggle to reach an agreement.

Adumen noted that the justices relied on section 28 of the Interpretation Act to reach the decision.

The CCB had filed a 13-count corruption charge against Saraki for failing to declare his assets fully, alleging that he misused state funds to purchase private assets while serving as Kwara state governor.

However, Saraki’s lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) had urged the court to expeditiously determine his client’s appeal on the grounds that time was very important in the on-going case.

Along with the appeal, the Senate president’s lawyers also filed an application seeking for proceedings before the CCT to cease pending the determination of his appeal. Saraki wanted the appellate court to stop his trial at the CCT.

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BREAKING: Suicide Bombers Attack Borno Again

Less than 24 hours after suicide bombers in two separate attacks struck a mosque in Maiduguri and a new central mosque in Yola, three female suicide bombers have attacked two communities in Borno, on Saturday, October 24.

The incident happened in Dala and Yazare, suburbs located some 4km away from Maiduguri, along the Biu-Maiduguri road.

According to Premium Times, the two female suicide bombers found their way into a crowded suburb of the troubled city with one of them succeeding in blowing off her self while the second got arrested and disarmed before she could trigger off the explosive belt worn under her garment, security sources said.

In the report, an operative of the Civillian-JTF said: “They were two suicide bombers, one was arrested now, but the other was able to detonate the bomb.”

As soon as the bomb blast happened, Nigerians and some other media had already taken to twitter:

There had also been an onslaught early Friday, October 23, as Muslims gather at a mosque to observe morning prayers in the old GRA area in the troubled Maiduguri.

The Friday explosion was said to have been carried out by a suspected lone suicide bomber whose two accomplices escaped when some vigilant members of the community accosted them on their suspicious movements.

Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and the birthplace of Boko Haram since 2002, has been the centre of the six-year-old terrorism and repeatedly attacked since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.

The city is attacked almost on a weekly basis. This latest attack occurred days after at least 30 people were killed when two suicide bombers had also attacked a mosque in the Mulai area of the state.

Although Buhari promised to end insurgency by December but the militants have refused to give up as they continually launch bomb attacks on cities.

The Nigerian military had given a final warning in a last statement issued recently: “This is to finally warn all Boko Haram terrorists wherever they are, to desist from all acts of terrorism, surrender themselves and face the law now. We wish to inform them that we are aware of all their hideouts, camps and enclaves.”

Breaking: Buhari appoints Mahmood Yakubu as INEC chairman

President Muhammadu Buhari has announced a professor of political history and international studies, Mahmood Yakubu, as new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Yakubu
The appointment which is to be ratified by the senate was made on Wednesday by the president at  the council of state meeting in Abuja.
Yakubu, who is a former executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund is to take over from the acting chairman, Amina Zakari.

Amaechi’s Name Omitted From List Of Those to Be Screened

Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has informed that the name of Rotimi Amaechi, ex-governor of Rivers state, has been excluded from the list of those to be screened by the Senate today, October 20.

According to NTA, the Senate will screen only three ministerial nominees today. However, the information that appeared earlier showed that at least seven appointees will be confirmed.

READ ALSO: APC Senators Decides Amaechi’s Fate

According to NTA, the Senate will screen only three ministerial nominees today. However, the information that appeared earlier showed that at least seven appointees will be confirmed.

The three nominees are Adebayo Shittu,Khadija Abba Ibrahim and Claudius Daramola.

This was reflected in the senate order paper which was published for the day’s plenary.

There were speculations that Amaechi was to be screened on Tuesday due to the report from the Committee On Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition.

The members of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) filed a court order against him last Thursday.

READ ALSO: Meet The Probable New Ministerial Nominee For Oyo

The remaining nominees are eight out of 18 remaining nominees.

List of those scheduled to be screened today by the senate.
Follow the live updates on ministerial screening: Nigerian Senate Continues Ministerial Screening

Amaechi was meant to be part of the ministerial nominees to be screened on Wednesday but was stood down alongside Adebayo Shittu.

Meanwhile, a committee on ethics and privileges headed by the chairman, Sam Anyanwu were expected to meet on last week to review the petition against the former governor.

Senators from the APC have expressed their support to Amaechi after their meeting last night.