Saraki: I’m rich because I come from a blessed family

Senate President Bukola Saraki says his wealth is as a result of hard work and coming from a blessed family.

In an interview with BBC Hausa service, the senate president said he acquired 95% of his wealth before he entered politics.

Saraki, who is standing trial for alleged corruption and false declaration of assets, expressed confidence that he would be cleared of the charges against him.

He also denied the tax evasion accusation highlighted in the Panama Papers, some documents which revealed the secretive offshore companies that influential personalities used to hide their wealth

His wife also appeared in those documents accused of registering a company offshore to buy a London property.

But Saraki said the company was set up based on legal advice.

“Based on legal advice the company was set up because they were acquiring an asset and it was advised at that time and that’s how it was set up to the best of our knowledge. It was not a company that was set up by ourselves; it was set up by a legal firm and under a legal firm as far as to the best of our knowledge no law was being broken,” he was quoted as saying.