Group Urges NJC To Sanction Saraki’s Lawyers

A coalition Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to sanction the counsels to the Senate president, Bukola Saraki.

Senate president, Bukola Saraki, before the tribunal in Abuja on September 22, 2015

According to the organization, the lawyers misled the senator in his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Bureau Tribunal.

Premium Times reports that the organisation, which comprises of over 150 civil society groups, made a statement on Sunday, September 27, by its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraj.

CSNAC leader said that Saraki’s lawyers, Joseph Daodu and Mahmud Magaj, erred by advising their client to defy the summons of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, (CCT).

Suraj said that the accused did not appear at the Tribunal because his lawyers were looking for an ex-parte order to prevent the CCT from sitting.

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“Instead of advising his client to honour the summons, Mr. Magaji SAN headed for the Federal High Court where he unsuccessfully sought an order ex parte to restrain the Tribunal from hearing the criminal case.

“On his part, although Mr. Daudu SAN had undertaken to produce his client on Monday, September 21, 2015 he rushed to the Court of Appeal where he unsuccessfully sought an ex parte order to prevent the Tribunal from sitting. On that same day, the Federal High Court refused to stop the Tribunal from sitting. Once again, the accused person did not appear at the Tribunal.

“In defending his action for treating the Code of Conduct with contempt in the circumstance, the Senate president disclosed to Nigerians that he did not appear at the Tribunal on the advice of his lawyers,” the statement read in part.

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The coalition further stressed that both senior advocates must be sanctioned because they betrayed their oath and advised their client to treat the CCT with disrespect.

“Having led their client to defy the summons of the Code of Conduct Tribunal we urge the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee to sanction Messrs. Daudu and Magaji as their conduct is a total betrayal of the oath taken by them as legal practitioners,” the group added.

CSNAC noted that the introduction of sanctions would serve as a deterrent to other lawyers who are in the habit of advising their clients to treat court orders with disdain.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress and the Nigerian Labour Congress asked the Senate president to vacate his office. Leaders of the organisations noted that although Saraki is still on trial and has not been found guilty of the allegations against him, it is morally right for him to resign from his office to defend himself.

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