Umar reached the decision on Wednesday, October 5, saying that there would be no one to preside over the case if he withdraws.

“The application to recuse myself has not been contemplated in the constitution. In the absence of a chairman, this trial cannot go on, therefore I cannot recuse myself. The chairman is the tribunal, without the chairman there is no tribunal,” he said according to The Cable.

“The application of the applicant is founded on mere conjecture. The application of the applicant is not well-founded, it is hereby dismissed,” he added.

Saraki also demanded Umar’s withdrawal in April when he said that the CCT Chairman was being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“Your lordship should not be sitting on this case because of the negative impression it would give to reasonable onlookers. All these problems originated from the EFCC. How could EFCC write and say that they have circumstantial evidence against a judge on the bench?” Saraki’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede said at the time.

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Saraki is facing charges of asset declaration fraud and is alleged to have committed the offence while in office as governor.