Some Politicians Desperately Want To Stampede Me Out Of Office - Saraki

The embattled Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki has declared that some politicians wants him out of office as senate president for their selfish interest. He said they are going around distributing Money and materials to stage protests in some parts of the country particularly in Lagos, Abuja and Ilorin to castigate against his person riding on his case with Code of Conduct Tribunal currently in court to stampede him out of office.


Saraki's Special Adviser on media and publicity Yusuph Olaniyonu in a statement released over the weekend said politicians who are desperate to get the Senate president out of office has started mobilizing civil society groups market men and women to start protests Marches in major cities across Nigeria including the senate president home state capital Ilorin. In his statement Olaniyonu said “As part of their plan, they are already distributing money and other materials to some faceless civil society organisations, market men and women associations and other shadowy groups with a view to instigate demonstrations in Lagos, Abuja and Ilorin starting from Monday, April 11.”

Saraki is currently on trial in court over allegations by CCT over false declaration of assets he declared when he was the governor of Kwara state between 2003 and 2011. The prosecution witnesses brought by the CCT and cross examined by the prosecuting lawyer Mr Rotimi Jacobs SAN alleged that the Ex governor is still being paid salaries since he left office in 2011. Another allegedly claimed $10,000 was deposited into the former governor's account in GTB in nine trenches in a day. However the Kwara state government has denied paying Saraki salaries since 2011 after he left office, the secretary to the state government said only Saraki's pension and retirement benefits were being paid into his account.

Saraki through his Special adviser on Media and Publicity also denied the senate president involvement in the Panama Papers controversy in which his name and some top politicians was mentioned. He said Senator Bukola Saraki is married to a rich wife from a very wealthy family and so cannot be responsible or declare properties and assets that belongs to his wife as his own. He therefore submitted that the panama papers were strictly his wife's family assets and properties given to his wife and hence cannot be responsible for that.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal trial was on Wednesday, adjourned to April 18 2016. Where prosecuting lawyer Mr. Rotimi Jacobs SAN will continue with cross examination of witnesses testifying against the Senate President.