Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has declared his innoncence in all the 13 charges slammed on him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). The charges border on alleged corruption and false declaration of assets for allegedly failing to declare some assets during his tenure in office as Kwara State Governor from 2003 to 2011.

Saraki, who was accompanied to the tribunal by Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, and two bus loads of senators, was docked but allowed to sit in the dock as the charges against him were read out. Both prosecution and defecne lawyers are currently trading tackles at the CCT chaired by Justice Danladi Umar.

The tribunal chairman, who twice in the past week insisted on the Senate President’s physical appearance before it, has meanwhile cancelled the bench warrant for Saraki’s arrest.

Saraki was originally orderd to appear before the tribunal last week Friday but he failed to do so, prompting Justice Umar to direct IGP Arase to arrest and produce him before the tribunal yesterday – an order which was obeyed in the breach. The CCT Chairman repeated the order but there was no need for its execution as Saraki volunteered to show up this morning

•Photo shows Senate President Bukola Saraki