THE Senate president, Bukola Saraki Friday said his vindication by the supreme court on the charges of false assets declaration brought against him by the Federal Government has further strengthened his belief in Nigeria.
The Code of Conduct Bureau had on September 16, 2015, filed a 13-count charge against Saraki for alleged false and anticipatory declaration of assets before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
He was also accused of collecting double salaries during his time as governor of the western state from 2003 to 2011.
The charges were increased to 15 on April 18, 2016, and another charge was added on April 27, 2016, to make it 16. The government later increased the charges to 17 on January 11, 2017, and finally to 18 on February 23, 2017.
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The CCT on June 14, 2017, ruled that Saraki had no case to answer after dismissing all 18 charges.
The government later appealed the ruling. The appellate court upheld the CCT’s ruling on fifteen charges and said the Senate president had a case to answer concerning the remaining three charges.
Those remaining three charges were dismissed by the Supreme Court on Friday.
“At the end of a tortuous journey of 1018 Days counting from September 22, 2015 when the case began at the Tribunal, I am happy that I have been vindicated,” Saraki said in a statement.
“The Supreme Court has affirmed that there is no evidence of false declaration of assets.”
“This outcome has gladdened my heart and further strengthened my belief in this country.”
Saraki declares the case as politically motivated which came after his emergence as the Senate president.
“As I said in my first appearance at the CCT, this is a politically motivated case.”
“The case was trumped up in the first instance because of my emergence as the President of the Senate against the wishes of certain forces. Ordinarily, I doubt anyone would be interested in the asset declaration form I filled over 15 years ago.”
