Conduct tribunal rules on Tinubu’s case tomorrow

[DT]

The Code of Code Tribunal sitting in Abuja will tomorrow deliver its ruling on whether or not it will quash the three-count charge of illegally operating foreign accounts against former Lagos State governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu.  

Tinubu is accused of operating 10 foreign bank accounts in the United Kingdom and the United States in his name and in the name of his wife and children between, maintaining the accounts and misinformed the Code of Conduct Bureau between 1999 and 2000 when he was governor and refusing to declare in his Code of Conduct forms.  

The ex-governor, who last appeared before the tribunal October to answer to the charges but was not arraigned as anticipated, is asking the tribunal to quash the three-count charge against him.

He also challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.

His Counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) had argued that his client is being charged before a tribunal which is unknown to the Nigerian Constitution and that the mandatory conditions precedent for referral of complaints by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to the tribunal and the subsequent exercise of jurisdiction by the tribunal were not been complied with.

He said, "The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Sam Saba addressed a press conference on the activities of the Bureau in relation to past governors and public office holders. Many national dailies reported that the Bureau had called and discussed with some of the governors, so they should have extended the same courtesy to my client. What is good for the goose is good for the gander."

Olanipekun also described the amended charge filed by the prosecuting counsel, Alex Iziyon (SAN) at the last sitting, as abuse of court process since the initial one-count charge was still in existence at the time.

But Iziyon (SAN) urged the tribunal to dismiss the application. He said the CCB had at various times invited Tinubu but he refused to appear and was evasive.



DailyTrust