ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Friday resigned to fate, after failing to get the Supreme Court uphold his appeal to stop the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) from trying him for alleged false declaration of assets.
The apex court had earlier on Friday dismissed Saraki’s appeal on the ground that his case lacked merit.
The Appeal Court had, before Friday’s hearing by the Supreme Court, held that the CCT is validly constituted to try Saraki for the allegation, a judgment, which Saraki challenged before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had upheld the Appeal Court’s judgment, but the decision had been adjourned till Friday, February 5, to determine Saraki’s appeal, seeking to quash the charges against him, after hearing arguments from him and the Federal Government.
But reacting to the Court’s ruling on Friday, through a statement issued by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, a disappointed Saraki hoped that he would get his day in the CCT to prove his innocence.
“After listening to the ruling of the Supreme Court in the appeal he filed to challenge the process of arraigning him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki hereby states as follows:
“He expresses disappointment over the judgment of the apex court in the country on the six grounds of his appeal
“He, however, will like to put it on record that the facts of the substantial matter are not before the Supreme Court since the apex court was only invited to rule on some preliminary issues in the process of commencing the trial.
“The Senate President believes he will have his day in the court to prove his innocence of the charges preferred against him during the trial proper.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560”]
“Dr. Saraki will like to thank everyone, who has expressed support for him from the beginning of the case. He assures everyone that at the end of the day truth will prevail and justice will be served,” the statement read.
The Federal Government had leveled 13 criminal charges against Saraki before the CCT over alleged false declaration of assets.
The charge document is claiming that Saraki deliberately manipulated the assets declaration form that he filled prior to his assumption of office as the Senate President.
The document had revealed that Saraki did this by making anticipatory declaration of assets, while also operating foreign bank account when he was holding public office.