FG To Arraign Senate President Over False Asset Declaration On Friday

The Federal Government will, on Friday, arraign the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Abuja, over allegations bordering on false and improper declaration of assets allegedly acquired during his tenure as governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011.

The 13-count charge against Saraki, Tribune Online gathered, was filed before the tribunal by the Code of Conduct Bureau through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

A source at the Code of Conduct Tribunal told Tribune Online that the Senate President had been served with the charge sheet and would be arraigned on Friday.

Count one of the 13-count charge reads: “That you, Dr. Bukola Saraki, while being the executive governor of Kwara State on or about 16th September, 2003 within the jurisdiction of this tribunal, did make a false declaration in assets declaration form for public officers on assumption of office as governor of Kwara State by making an anticipatory asset declaration in that you claimed to have owned and acquired No. 15A and N0. 15B, McDonald Ikoyi, Lagos, through your company, Carlisle Properties Limited in 2006 when the said property was in actual fact sold by the Implementation Committee on Federal Government landed property in 2006 to your companies, Tiny Tee Limited and Vitti Oil Limited for the aggregate sum of N396,150, 000 and you hereby committed an offence under Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and incorporated under paragraph 11(1) and (2) of Part 1, 5th schedule to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and punishable under Section 23(2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and incorporated under paragraph 18 of part 1, 5th schedule to the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

According to the charge sheet, Saraki was also accused of operating an American Express credit card account during his tenure as governor, where he allegedly wired at least $3.4 million from a Nigerian account.

The law bars public officers from operating foreign bank accounts while in service.(TRIBUNE)