A suit filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, challenging the propriety of his trial on charges of false asset declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal resumes today.

This is despite the Supreme Court’s recent judgment affirming the validity of the charges and the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him.

The CCT had after the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on February 5 fixed March 10 for the Senate President’s trial to resume.

Saraki’s fundamental rights enforcement suit challenging the validity of his trial, like his failed appeal, was adjourned on January 13 till Thursday for hearing.

It was earlier listed for hearing on January 13 but the scheduled proceedings were stalled due to the absence of Justice Abdu-Kafarati.

However, the Supreme Court had heard and fixed February 5 for judgment on Saraki’s appeal challenging the competence of the charges preferred against him and the jurisdiction of the CCT to entertain the case.

A seven-man bench of the apex court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, eventually dismissed the appeal paving the way for Saraki’s trial to resume before the CCT.

The Senate President’s fundamental rights enforcement suit was first mentioned before Justice Abdu-Kafarati on November 16, 2015, when the plaintiff’s lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, moved an ex parte application seeking an interim injunction against the CCT trial.

The ex-parte application was filed on November 6, 2015.

Rather than grant the order on November 16, 2015, the judge had directed respondents to the suit to appear in court on Thursday to show cause why the prayers sought by the plaintiff in his ex parte motion should not be granted.

The respondents to the suit are the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase.

Others are the Code of Conduct Bureau, the CCT; the CCT chairman, Danladi Umar; the second member of the CCT panel, Mr. Ataedzeagu Adza, CCB chairman, Mr. Sam Saba; Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Diri; and a Deputy Director in the ministry, Mr. Muslim Hassan (now a judge of the Federal High Court).

Saraki alleged in the suit that the charges preferred against him before the CCT had infringed on his right to fair hearing.

He therefore sought an order nullifying the charges and the proceedings of the CCT on the grounds that they allegedly fell short of the requirements of Article 3 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

He also sought an order restraining the AGF, EFCC, ICPC, IG and CCB from prosecuting him, based on the offences he allegedly committed while serving as Kwara State Governor.

But the Federal Government had in its notice of preliminary objection filed on January 8, 2016, asked the court to dismiss the Senate President’s suit.

Lawyer for the Federal Government, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), argued that the suit “constitutes an abuse of court process” and that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain it.