Politics
Saraki’s CCT trial is political vendetta – Senators
Embattled Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Sunday, received a morale boost in his current travails with the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, over falsification of asset declaration, as his colleagues at the upper chamber of the National Assembly threw their weight behind him, declaring the trial as political vendetta and not about corruption.
The Senators declared this after a meeting held in Abuja on Sunday, adding that its position on the trial remains the same and that they would not comment on the issue again until after the trial has been concluded at the CCT.
The Senators, in a statement signed by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Aliyu Abdulahi, also said that the decision of the Supreme Court given last Friday was on preliminary matters arising from the commencement of the trial.
“The trial proper is yet to begin. And since the fundamental principle in our legal system is that a defendant is deemed innocent until proven guilty, we have decided to patiently observe the proceedings until the case runs its full circle in the nation’s final judicial forum”
Frowning at calls for the resignation of Senator Saraki as the President of the Senate, the Senators insisted that such calls are premature, mischievous and unwarranted. The Senators also reiterated their support for Saraki as the President of the Senate, adding that they would stand by him as he goes through the trial at the CCT, believing that he will be able to prove his innocence.
“We also call on members of the public to ignore the rantings of a few Senators who, having failed to get the wish of their sponsors done on the floor of the Senate, are now launching media campaign against the leadership of the Senate.
“We want members of the public to know that the Senate under Dr. Saraki has achieved stability in the legislative institution and we do not need any negative distraction at this point.
“The focus of the Senate is on the objective consideration and timely passage of the 2016 budget and we will want all Nigerians to support us as we concentrate on this important assignment”, the statement said.
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