Opinion: Lamentation of a nation. By Solihu Woru Muhammed
We left Ilorin at about 5.30a.m., Wednesday, 4th November, 2015 to witness what I can safely described as mother of all persecution of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar BUkola Saraki; CON, the Turaki of Ilorin taking place at Code of Conduct Tribunal, Abuja. Our journey was very hectic and challenging, we were ten in number, all being members of Ilorin Emirate Magajis and Alanguas Forum loyalists of Bukky.
We are to represent the Forum's 500 strong members. The road froth Ilorin to Osi and Kabba was rarely a death trap, despite the state of the bad road, we enjoyed our journey and later arrived 'at Abuja safely and settled at the popular Lakuna Hotel. We took the Senate President by surprise as he was not aware of our journey. The official residence of the Senate President was turn to Mecca by huge members of his admirers from far and near. The security personnel at the gate of his residence were courteous and polite, while his aids treated us warmly, they were very friendly.
The Senate President looked confidence and joyous as he welcomed visitors Includlnq members of Red and Green chambers of the National Assembly, social and -political associates who thronged his residence to display their loyalty and support on his travail. It was a busy moment for him as he exchange greetings and pleasantry with the huge crowd of sympathizers. Like his late father, the great Waziri of Ilorin, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki known to be humble and shown affection to his visitors.
After the exchange of greetings and pleasantry, we retired to our hotel and the following day, we were the first to arrived at the gate of the Code of Conduct Tribunal court where we met huge number of stern looking policemen and other Law Enforcement Agents, they were very friendly but firm in the discharge of their duties. We were told in a very clear language that we cannot have access to the court room because we were too early to be there. As we were hanging around the court gate premises waiting anxiously to get access to the court room, we were joined by hundreds of other concern supporters of Bukky wanted to witness the proceeding. It was a mammoth crowd. At exactly 8:15am, the security agents began the screening; I was thoroughly searched and screened by the Bomb Unit of the security agents. It was a harrowing and sad experience as our turbans and underwear were not spared, at the end nothing incriminating was discovered. The Alajagusi of Ajagusi, Alhaji Abdul Wahab Sanni who was the Forum's Chairman told me jokingly that they thought that we were members of dreaded Boko Haram.
Having successfully scaled through the security hurdle, we entered into the court room among other well wishers. The Code of Conduct court room was jam-packed as spectators occupied the whole sit. First to arrived were the over twenty strong members of the defence team, led by three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Lawyer Ahmad Magaji, Ahmad Raji and Lawyer Isau, a former Attorney-General of Kwara State, they were closely followed by the prosecution counsels led by Lawyer Rotimi Jacob, SAN and eleven team of lawyers from the Federal Ministry of Justice who created an impression to nail the innocent Senate President.
Afterward, Justice Danladi Umar came In with other members of the tribunal and immediately ordered the Court Clerk to call the first case in the court list. The Federal Government of Nigeria versus the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON who submitted himself to the court process by honourably entered into the box. It as a grave yard, as the leading prosecution counsel adjusted his high class and fired the first shot, hear him: "My Lord, this case was adjourned for today to hear the verdict of the Court of Appeal, the embattled prosecutor told the Judge that the Court of Apeal has cleared the road for the tribunal to commence the - trial. He went further to call the court that he he was in the court with all his prosecution witnesses who traveled from far to kick start the trial and he was ready".
The defence counsel rose to state his own case, hear him: "The case is not ripe for hearing, because his client has already file notice of appeal before the Supreme Court indirectly stay of the proceeding’ of the tribunal. He pleaded to the court to exercise retrain, since the Supreme Court is the apex court of Nigeria and cited several authorities, and decided cases to support his argument". He was brilliant, eloquent in his submission. However, a member of the tribunal asked that what 'injury will his client suffer if they started the trial. The brilliant denfence lawyer leader cited the case of Bode George who was once convicted by an High Court and spent two (2) years in jail but later discharged and acquitted by the Supreme Court on appeal. He insisted that the Supreme Court must be respected.
However, sadly enough, the prosecution counsel rose up and insisted that they wanted to fight corruption and that the arguments of the defence counsel was a ploy to delay the trial.
The defence counsel again interpreted and wanted to know that what the haste in beginning the prosecution. At this' stage, "the presiding Judge announce" to the mammoth crowd that he will come back in an hour time to deliver his ruling on the arguments and then returned to his chamber.
While waiting anxiously for the ruling, I told the audience that both the Judge and defence counsels are already took side and that the ruling will not be in our favour. A public affair analyst agreed with my opinion', and said that the whole case is politically motivated, instigated by some powerful cabal members of the ruling party - APC.
The Judge returned back to the court to uphold the prosecution counsels' argument. In a nutshell, he said that he was going on with the case despite the appeal pending at the Supreme', Court. The crowded court audience shouted in disagreement. The prosecution counsels appeal to the court to start the trial the following day which is 6th November, 2015.
The defendant sought for a month grace to enable him secure defence team. His request was quickly turn down by the court, and adjourned the case to 19th November, 2015 not minding his haste decision will cause the Senate President. Some people described the court as "Kootu Asipa" the defence counsel 'told Justice Umaru Yakubu Danladi that they cannot be part of the trial any longer and sought his lordship to leave. He quickly granted their request and all trooped out of the court room and immediately followed behind by the huge members of spectators, thus leaving only the Judge and his member including prosecution counsels behind.
It was a sad moment as the concerned spectator including the sea heads of lawyers in court felt persecuted Senate President remain unruffled and confidence that the toad to achieve justice may be rough and challenging, but believed that one day he will be vindicated.
'The Senate President's travail began immediately be was emerged as the Senate President of the red chamber against the preferred candidate of the APC - Ahmed Lawan. As soon as he emerged the Senate President the Federal Government slammed a 13 case of failure to declare his asset when he was the state governor of Kwara State thirteen years ago. The Federal Government till date did not publish the declaration of asset of other political office holders dated back to thirteen years for the public to judge.
The election which led to the emergence of Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON as the Senate President was conduct under free and fair atmosphere; it was conducted by the clerk of the Senate, Alhaji Saliu Mai-Kasuwa, having publicly read the proclamation issued by the President Muhammadu Buhari in the floor of the Senate chamber.
The APC on its manifesto preaches change and this was apparently demonstrated by the senators of the upper chamber to vote for the leaders 01 the red chamber including the President of the Senate. In a democratic norm, democracy can be defined as rulership by the people, it is a system where electorates are allowed by the constitution of the land to elect those who will represent them in government for a period of time, this include members of both red and green chambers of the National Assembly.
It is sad to note that in April, 2015 all eligible voters across the country voted en mass for the APC to achieve good governance, cum dividend of democracy, it is however sad to for all at all level, Poverty Alleviation Programme, constant Electricity supply and gainful employment, particularly for the teaming unemployment youths/graduates and women-folks.
The electorates who voted the APC in power are tired of political rancour and acrimony among the members of the While commending the ruling party. They do not want external interference in judiciary or legislature and they are calling on our President, Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to ensure that the rule of law prevails on the on-going political trial of the Senate President and wondered why a 13 charge slammed I against him as soon as he emerged as the Senate President.
A political analysis during my interaction with him believes that the Senate President was already tried and find guilty by cabals, but merely arraigned him before the Code of Conduct. Tribunal to be nailed.
President of the Federal Republic, Muhammadu Buhari, GCON for his achievements so far in his fight against corruption and the menace of Boko Haram, there is an urgent need for the government to extend anti-corruption crusade to Lagos State and fish out who has been collecting toll gate fees in the public government highway and where are the collections of the "Toll Gate Fees"?
Nigeria wanted the government to make public the asset declaration of other political heavy weight in the APC covering a period of 13 years. Now that over twenty defence counsels in Saraki's trial including three distinguished Senior Advocates of Nigeria left the tribunal abruptly having secured the permission of the Justice Umaru Yakubu Danladi, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Nigerians are calling for the constitution of a new unbiased Code of Conduct Tribunal to try the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON if at all he has a case to answer. By so doing Nigerians will then have confidence in the on-going Code of Conduct Tribunal's case against the embattle Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON.
Finally, this piece cannot be completed without commending the rare courage and professionalism displayed by the over twenty defence counsels in the on-going trial, they have demonstrated without any iota of doubt that litigants can still, rely on the service of Nigerian lawyers whom I like to describe as the conscience of the Nation so far the defence counsels prove to be a worthy ambassador of their chosen I noble profession and a great asset to the Nigeria Bar Association.
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