- Senator Bukola Saraki has won a major victory at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT)
- The Senate President was cleared of all charges at the tribunal on Wednesday, June 14
- Many Nigerians have reacted, some lawmakers have called Saraki's triumph at CCT, a victory for democracy
The Code of Conduct Tribunal dismissed the case of false asset declaration against Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki today June 14.
Saraki made a no-case submission on May 4, after the prosecution closed its case.
Bukola Saraki was accused by EFCC of not declaring some of his assets at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Danladi Umar, the tribunal chairman, in his ruling said the prosecution had failed to successfully prove its allegations.
NAIJ.com had reported some months ago that attempt by the Senate president to stop his trial at the CCT met a brick wall as the Court of Appeal dismissed his application.
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A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal in Abuja said his trial should continue.
In an unanimous decision read by Justice Abdul Aboki, the five-man panel ruled that the appeal lacked merit and thus totally dismissed.
Ozekhome's take on the issue
Human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has lauded the acquittal of Senate President Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Ozekhome also mocked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which was the key witness against Saraki.
While reacting to the development, Ozekhome slammed the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption headed by Prof. Itse Sagay.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ozekhome said, “The Code of conduct tribunal headed by Mr Danladi Umar (not Justice Umar,as always erroneously reported ),was bold,courageous and right, in spite of visible executive interference and manipulation, to have discharged and acquitted Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on all the counts of false declaration of assets levelled against him.
“EFCC, much trumpeted much-trumpeted media trial of cases, dramatic hype and conviction of suspects on the pages of newspapers and social media, leading the country to now?
“You have actually done more harm and damage to the so called anti -corruption ‘war’ than all the vampires and barbaric, primitive accumulators of our national wealth and common patrimony joined together.”
Fayose's reaction
The Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described the victory of Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal as another victory of Nigerians over tyranny.
Punch reports that the governor said he was happy that he predicted that the CCT will absolve Saraki in his predictions made in December 2016 and “it has come to pass.”
NAIJ.com gathered that Fayose, who spoke through his special assistant on public communications and new media, Lere Olayinka, on Wednesday June 14, said the judgment was another lesson for the President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress federal government that criminal cases are not won on the pages of newspapers.
He drew the attention of Nigerians to number eight of his 22 predictions for the year 2017.
He said: “I said it categorically that the Code of Conduct Tribunal will absolve Senate President Bukola Saraki and today, the prediction came to pass.”
The governor congratulated Saraki, urging him to see the victory as a challenge to him and the entire members of the National Assembly to always stand up to defend the rule of law and fundamental rights of Nigerians.
Lawmakers react
Bala Ibn N’Allah, the deputy leader of the Senate, said the victory of the Senate president at the CCT, was victory for democracy.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja it was obvious that the case against Saraki was only a distraction to governance.
The CCT on Wednesday ruled that Mr. Saraki had no case to answer in the 18-count charge against him over allegations of false declaration of asset.
“The case was diversionary and unhelpful to the government of the day and now, he has been vindicated.
“Those who erroneously believed that they can mislead the government into doing a wrong thing should know that they have not been helpful to the government,’’ he said.
Similarly, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Olusola Adeyeye, said that the judgement indicated that the judiciary was independent.
According to him, what this portends for democracy is that there is rule of law and that the judiciary is independent.
“It shows that the judiciary does not act based on what the executive wants or based on what the legislature wants.
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“Everybody goes to court to make a case. If you make your case, you win; if you don’t, you lose.
“In this case the Federal Government failed to make its case and it has lost.
“The case went to court. If he had been found guilty, the moral burden will be on him to go to the Court of Appeal or to resign from the office, but now he has won and the case is closed,’’ Mr. Adeyeye said.
The lawmaker said that with the judgement, Mr. Saraki would settle fully to legislative activities, observing that the case exerted much pressure on him.
Bukar Ibrahim (APC-Yobe) congratulated the senate president for the victory, and said that it was success for the justice system in the country.
“It’s my pleasure as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and an admirer of the President of the Senate to congratulate him over his success in the CCT case.
“It is success for justice and rule. It is not about Saraki, but it is about justice for rule of law.
“Judgment has now been passed for future cases,’’ he said.
Below is a NAIJ.com video in which Nigerians argue to if President Buhari should handover to Vice President Osinbajo over health issues.
