DirectReporterng

In a controversial and surprising move, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has issued a hearing notice regarding a jurisdiction case filed by lawyers representing embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki. A judicial source told SaharaReporters that the Court of Appeal issued the notice late Friday, a move the source described as not only surprising but suspicious. Mr. Saraki’s lawyers want the Court of Appeal to halt his trial now going on at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) before Justice Danladi Umar. The senator’s huge legal team, comprising 90 lawyers, has argued that is contending that the tribunal lacks the jurisdiction to try their client for false declaration of assets and corrupt enrichment. Speaking to SaharaReporters this evening, a senior lawyer based in Abuja stated that it was untoward for the Court of Appeal to issue the notice of hearing on the matter of the CCT’s jurisdiction. “The prayers of Mr. Saraki's legal team are not different from the ones c...

A Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, sitting in Abuja, has struck out suit on the eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan, to seek re-election, following an application by the plaintiffs to discontinue. The court ordered the plaintiffs to pay N50,000 to Jonathan whose lawyers had been made to file responses before the decision to withdraw the suit.   The plaintiffs are Prof. Tunde Samuel, Dr. Junaidu Mohammed, Rasak Adeogun and Yahaya Ezeemoo Ndu. President Jonathan was the only defendant in the suit. The court had on February 3, 2015, fixed Wednesday for hearing of the suit. But the notice of discontinuance of the suit was filed on February 4.