Leader of opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was arraigned today, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, sitting in Abuja charged with operating foreign accounts while he served as governor.

His plea to the charge was not taken as he told the tribunal that the amended charge was served on him, today, at the tribunal and he needed time to go through it and prepare his defence.

Tribunal adjourns trial to Oct. 26

The Code of  Conduct Tribunal, however, adjourned to Oct. 26 the trial of   former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, for allegedly operating 16 foreign bank accounts  between 1999 and 2007.

Tinubu, who was in the dock for about three hours, was  to be arraigned before Justice Umar Yakubu, the president of the tribunal.

The judge, however, adjourned the case to enable him read and understand the amended charges brought against Tinubu.

“ It is important that we grant a short time to enable the accused read the amended charge.

“We need this trial to go on summarily, speedily and expeditiously;  therefore, the case is adjourned to Oct. 26,’’ he said.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Dr Alex Iziyon (SAN), had brought an amended charge against Tinubu and urged the tribunal to read the charges to the accused in order  to take his plea.

But defence counsel, Chief  Wole Olanipekun (SAN),  challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal in  the prosecution of  his client.

He argued that the tribunal could not  hear the matter because the prosecution had  just filed the new charge, adding that his client needed time to  study the charge before he could take his plea.

The Code of Conduct Tribunal sitting, Wednesday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

The News Agency of  Nigeria (NAN) reports that the single-count charge earlier filed by the prosecution had been replaced with  a  fresh three-count charge.

Tinubu was charged with  false declaration of   assets by not disclosing the accounts with the Code of Conduct Bureau between 1999 and 2000.

The offence,  according to the prosecution,  was contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The amended charge was prepared by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and signed by one Kyari Ahmed.

Tinubu, who spoke to newsmen after the adjournment, said the allegation against him was politically motivated.

Two ACN  governors,  Abiola Ajimobi of  Oyo State and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, were at the tribunal to witness the trial of  the party chieftain.