'Withdraw from my trial,' Senate President accuses CCT Chairman of bias

According to The Cable, Saraki's counsel, Raphael Oluyede, filed the application on Wednesday, April 20, asking Umar to disqualify himself from Saraki's alleged declaration of assets trial.

The application read in part: “An order disqualifying/recusing the Honourable Justice Danladi Umar (Chairman of this tribunal) from sitting on the panel of this tribunal for hearing and determination of the charges filed in these proceedings for the reason that his continued presence on the said panel of this tribunal offends the provisions of section 36 (1) of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria which prescribes that ‘In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality.’

“A likelihood of bias by the tribunal against the appellant… undermines and withdraws from the tribunal, the jurisdiction which it is normally endowed….”

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Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate has suspended its planned amendment of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Act which was trailed by criticisms from various quarters.