Saraki: I wasn’t allowed to explain myself

Senate President Bukola Saraki has insisted that his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT)  is “political”, saying he was not given the opportunity to explain what could have led to perceived inaccuracy.

Saraki is currently at the tribunal after the supreme court failed to grant his wish to halt the trial.

He is facing a 13-count charge of alleged corruption and false declaration of assets.

In a statement signed by Gbenga Makanjuola, his deputy chief of staff, the senate president said the act which established the tribunal accord anyone whom allegation is laid against the right to deny or admit the claim.

“We must all be guided by the fact that a basic scrutiny of section 3, paragraph D of the act that establishes the CCT and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) states in explicit terms that before any complaint (if any)  is forwarded to the CCB for adjudication, the public officer against whom a complaint is made must be given the opportunity to either deny or admit the claims,” the statement read.

“As it stands, Nigerians must ask why this fundamental and indispensable condition for a trial at the CCT has not been followed. What this means is that the condition precedent mandates that Dr. Saraki, as every other citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is entitled to, should have been given the opportunity to explain any perceived inaccuracy, but he was never given the opportunity to do so.

“Secondly and more crucially, the application submitted by the senate president draws attention to the fact that the 13-year-old declaration forms, on which the majority of the impending suit is predicated, were examined and investigated by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) at the time of submission and were found satisfactory to the bureau’s requirements at the time.

“Given that for 13 years, all the documents from the senate president’s asset declarations from 2003, 2007 and 2011 were accessible by the Bureau for investigation. Saraki’s application states that the condition precedence should have been drawn to it, to give the senate president the opportunity to explain and address any identified issues.

“In this regard, as the trial begins, Nigerians should note that this outright non-observance of the rule of law, reaffirms the belief that this trial is borne from political mischief and malice associated with the timeliness and nature of this suit.

“As the head of Nigeria’s legislative branch, Dr. Saraki is confident that justice will ultimately prevail and he is ready, willing and prepared to submit himself to all proceedings that adhere to the strict dictates of the law. He believes that the law must take its righteous course and reassures Nigerians of his commitment to serving the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”