The federal government of Nigeria has lined up a total of five witnesses that will testify against Senate President Bukola Saraki, including the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and incumbent governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Naisr El-Rufai.
Saraki is facing trial on a 13-count criminal charge that bordered on corruption, false declaration of assets, and illegal operation of a foreign bank account while in office as a public servant.
El-Rufai is expected to testify that he was the one that sold one of the assets that Saraki bought in Abuja, which the government alleged that he failed to include among the assets belonging to him.
The government said it has already furnished Saraki with the proof of evidence against him, just as it also attached as exhibits, four different assets declaration forms the accused persons submitted to the CCB.
“We have gathered enough evidence to prove that the defendant made anticipatory assets declaration”, Rotimi boasted.
In the charge sheet which was signed by a deputy director in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. M. S. Hassan, he was alleged to have manipulated the assets declaration forms he submitted before the CCB in 2003, 2007 and 2011, by making anticipatory declaration of assets.
The Federal Government maintained that the action of the Senate President ran contrary to the provisions of section 2 of the CCB and Tribunal Act, and punishable under section 15(1) & (2), and 23(2) of the CCB and Tribunal Act, Cap C15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, as well as paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Aside Ekweremadu, other lawmakers that appeared in court with Saraki yesterday included, Senators Shaaba Lafiaji; Theodore Orji; Mao Ohuabunwa, Tayo Alasoadura, Kaura Tijani, Samuel Anyanwu, Ben Murray-Bruce, Gilbert Nnaji, Peter Nwaoboshi, Rose Okoh, Kabiru Gaya, Sunny Ogborji, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Mohammed Ohiare, Isa Hamma Missau, Emmanuel Paulker, Ibrahim Abdullahi, Obinna Ogba, Clifford Ordia, Foster Ogola, Gershom Bassey and Olaka Nwogu.
Others were former governors of Sokoto and Ebonyi states, Aliyu Wamakko and Dr. Samuel Egwu.
