Mahmud Magaji, the lawyer to senate president Bukola Saraki, resigned on Thursday during the sitting over the tribunal over what he terms as “judicial rascality”.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) ruled that Saraki’s trial must continue despite his appeal at the supreme court. Following that ruling, Magaji said he was withdrawing. Consequently, all of Saraki’s lawyers walked out of the courtroom in a single file.
Danladi Umar, who delivered the ruling, then asked Saraki if he was prepared to defend himself to which he answered in the negative.
The chairman of the CCT then gave Saraki one week to get new lawyers, to which the senate president protested that it was not enough to get and brief new lawyers.
The senate president’s appeal for a month was however turned down and the court fixed next hearing date for November 19.