The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has been charged by the federal government over allegations bordering on false and improper declaration of assets allegedly acquired during his tenure as Governor of Kwara State from 2003-2011 before the Code of Conduct Tribunal Abuja .
The 13-count charge against Saraki was filed before the tribunal by the Code of Conduct Bureau through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Count one accused Senator Saraki of making “false declaration in the 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 the year 2000 when the said property was actual fact sold by the Implementation Committee on Federal Government landed property in the year 2006 to your companies Tiny Tee Limited and Vitti Oil Limited for the aggregate sum of N396, 150, 000.”
According to the charge sheet, Saraki also allegedly operated an American Express credit card account during his tenure as Governor, where he allegedly wired at least $3.4 million to from a Nigerian account.
The law bars public officers from operating foreign bank accounts while in service.
Saraki has come under intense pressure since he assumed the Senate Presidency against the directive of his political party, the All Progressives Party (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari.
His wife, Toyin is also being investigated by the EFCC over allegations of money laundering and diversion of Kwara State government funds. She is however yet to be charged.
Online newspaper THEWILL reports that President Buhari has refused to grant Saraki access to him since he became President of the Senate on June 9, 2015.
Below is the charge sheet, which was first, published by Sahara Reporters.
