The Nigerian Senate has rejected calls for the resignation of its president, Bukola Saraki, following Supreme Court ruling saying that there is no basis for him to resign, insisting that his ordeal was politically motivated and not about any anti-corruption fight.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki
While speaking unbehalf of Nigerian Senators at the National Assembly, Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Abdullahi, in a statement on Monday, said that the senate has rejected calls for the resignation of its president, Bukola Saraki, following Supreme Court ruling that upheld his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
He added that there was no basis for the Senate President to resign, insisting that Saraki’s ordeal was politically motivated and not about any anti-corruption fight.
"From the beginning of the trial last September, we have declared that this case is not about any fight against corruption. It is simply a case of political vendetta. Our position remains the same. We still believe that the case is politically motivated," he said.
He further stated that "we want to state categorically that there is no basis for the call on the Senate President to resign until after the matter is decided in that final judicial forum. Such a call at this time is premature, mischievous and unwarranted."
Giving further reason to reject the call for Saraki’s resignation, he added, "We also noted 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."
He expressed the support of his colleagues for Saraki, saying "We stand by him as he goes through the trial at the CCT where we believe he will be able to prove his innocence.
We also call on members of the public to ignore the ranting 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," he added.
It can be recalled that last Friday, the Supreme Court rejected Saraki’s appeal against the competence and jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to try him for 13-count charge of false asset declaration slammed on him by the federal government.
The development generated renewed calls on Saraki to resign as he faces corruption trial, with the Unity Forum, an anti-Saraki group, and Like Minds, a pro-Saraki group squabbling over the subject.
In separate interview with Premium Times on Sunday, Kabiru Marafa Of Unity Forum, asked Saraki to resign to save the image of the National Assembly, but the call was rejected by Dino Melaye of Like Minds caucus who said Saraki’s trial amounted to a plot to "mess with the National Assembly."