Senate President Bukola Saraki has demanded that Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja be allowed to deliver judgment in his fundamental rights enforcement suit.
The judge had, on Tuesday, withheld his judgment in the case and announced his withdrawal on the ground that reports by some on-line media, Sahara Reporters and Naij.com, alleged that he had been bribed by the Senate President.
Saraki, in a protest letter dated March 22, by his lawyer, Prince Ajibola Oluyede, to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, noted that although he sympathises with the judge, the interest of justice would only be served if the judgment was delivered.
Oluyede, while speaking with journalists yesterday, after the submission of the letter to the chief judge, Federal High Court, accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of being behind the publications, which, he said, were intended to intimidate the judge.
“It is our argument in the suit that the Code of Conduct Tribunal cannot act independently the way it is currently constituted because we believe Its Chairman, Danladi Umar, who is currently under investigation by the EFCC, cannot be independent in deciding a case being prosecuted before him by the EFCC.