The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, has signed the warrant for the arraignment of six former governors for falsifying their assets declaration forms.
The six former governors are said to include ex-Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam; and his Cross River State counterpart, Liyel Imoke.
The identities of the four others could not be ascertained at press time.
Also to face trial is a retired permanent secretary for abuse of office while a former governor from the North East is beleived to have gone on exile barely a week after the conclusion of paperworks for his trial.
Based on what was gathered, the the trial of the ex-public office holders will start any moment from now.
A source said: “The next batch for trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal includes six ex-governors and a retired permanent secretary. The former governors are from the North-Central, North-West, South-South and North-East.
“All these ex-governors will be formally notified of their pending trial next week. Some of them have got wind of it and were already scouting for the charges.
“In fact, security reports indicated that the ex-governor from the North-East got wind of his likely arraignment before the CCT and chose to go on self-exile.
“When all is set for his trial and he fails to show up, a bench warrant will be issued for his arrest and the International Police (INTERPOL) will be mandated to fish him out.”
Investigation revealed that more than 15 former governors under-declared their assets in gross violation of their oaths of office.
“Most of these governors preferred to hide their assets but, unknown to them, their aides or aggrieved members of their cabinets or parties and short-changed business partners used to expose them,” a Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) source stated.
However, disturbed by the legal issue surrounding the constitution of the CCT, President Muhammadu Buhari has initiated moves to put in place a full panel.
There are only two members in the tribunal instead of three recommended by the 1999 Constitution.
The one-judge vacuum has made some of those arraigned to seek redress at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court on the ground that the tribunal was not fully constituted for a proper trial.
Three nominees have been recommended out of which the President will appoint one as a member of CCT. This will put paid to any complaint about the constitution of the tribunal.
“The three nominees are undergoing security checks after which the President will appoint one of them, “ a government source said last night.