Senate President absent as Senators endorse amendment of CCB Act

Vanguard reports that the plenary session of Thursday, April 14, 2016, was presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Ekweremadu also cleared the air on allegations that the amendment was aimed at getting Saraki off the hook, as he faces trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

He said “Let me just say that this bill absolutely has nothing to do with the proceedings going on at the code of conduct tribunal in which the senate president is involved because his trial has commenced as you are aware, and if you look at the last paragraph of the bill which says ‘this bill maybe sighted as a code of conduct bureau tribunal Act amendment bill, 2016.

“That means that the bill is not being made retrospective as to affect the proceedings at the code of conduct tribunal, certainly it has nothing to do with it. We are only doing our work as a parliamentarians and it is our responsibility to ensure that there is justice for all at all time and we must not be afraid or scared to the job which the constitution has given us.

“ I believe that it is in the course of our duty that this amendment is being proposed because the code of conduct tribunal has come to stay and with all intent and purpose, we support the tribunal, we support the bureau but we would also make sure that in doing their work there is also fairness, equity and all the principles enunciated in the chapter four of our constitution dealing with human rights and also respected.”

“So that is why we are here and we are not intended, we are not planning or trying to frustrating particular trial because of what this bill is just coming now and the trial the code of conduct tribunal as since commenced. It actually as nothing to do with but we must at all times be courageous to do our work,” Ekweremadu said.

An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje also said the worst will happen if Bukola Saraki is removed from office.

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