The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, on Thursday, turned down an application to disqualify himself as judge in the false asset declaration trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Saraki had applied to Umar to step down from the trial because of an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission into bribery allegations leveled against the CCT Chairman.

However, Justice Danladi dismissed Saraki’s application on the basis of lack of merit, while stating that he has not been charged to any court and that the issue of investigation by the EFCC is over.

Danladi had earlier in the trial turned down the application for him to step down from the trial.

However, on Wednesday, the Judge made a turnaround and asked the defense counsel to tender its application.

In his ruling, Umar said that: “Chairman of the tribunal has not been charged to any court. The defendant, though, facing charges, has not recused himself from performing his duties as senate president.”

“The issue of any investigation is over. The tribunal holds that the application of the accused lacks merit. It is hereby dismissed.”

Meanwhile, the numbers of the Senators accompanying the Senate President to his CCT trial have trickled down from 81 in 2015, to two (on Wednesday) to zero (on Thursday) as Saraki arrived the court premises alone.

Mazi Emeka