Conduct Bureau slams 13-count corruption charge on Senate President, Bukola Saraki

The Code of Conduct Bureau has slammed a 13-count charge of corruption on the President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki.

In charge number ABT/01/15, dated September 11 and filed before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Saraki is accused of offences ranging from anticipatory declaration of assets to making false declaration of assets in forms he filed before the Code of Conduct Bureau while he was governor of Kwara state.

According to the charges, exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday morning, the Senate President is also accused of failing to declare some assets he acquired while in office as governor.

Among other offences, including allegedly acquiring assets beyond his legitimate earnings, Mr. Saraki is also accused of operating foreign accounts while being a public officer – governor and senator.

The offences, the charge said, violated sections of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

Mr. Saraki is also said to have breached Section 2 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and punishable under paragraph 9 of the said Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.

The charges were prepared by M.S. Hassan, a deputy director in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation. It is not clear on Wednesday morning whether the document had been served on Mr. Saraki, Nigeria’s number three man.

He and his aides could not be immediately reached. But a source at the Code of Conduct Bureau told PREMIUM TIMES the Senate President might be arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal this week.

Read and download full charges below.