False asset declaration: Saraki expresses disappointment over Supreme Court ruling, says ‘I’ll prove my innocence in court’

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Friday expressed his disappointment over the dismissal of his appeal against the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) by the Supreme Court.
Saraki maintained that since facts of the substantial matter are not before the apex court, he will have his day before the court to prove his innocence of the charges preferred against him during the trial proper.
The Supreme Court had dismissed Saraki’s appeal against the CCB, saying the case lacks merit.
It upheld the Appeal Court’s judgement, holding that the Code of Conduct Tribunal is validly constituted.
The Federal Government levelled 13 criminal charges against Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over alleged false declaration of assets.
The former Kwara State governor was accused of deliberately manipulated the assets declaration form that he filled prior to his assumption of office as Nigeria’s number three citizen on June 9, 2015.
The document had revealed that Saraki did this by making anticipatory declaration of assets, while also operating foreign bank account when he was holding public office.
But in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said: “After listening to the ruling of the Supreme Court in the appeal he filed to challenge the process of arraigning him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, hereby states as follows:
“He expresses disappointment over the Judgement of the apex court in the country on the six grounds of his appeal.
“He, however, will like to put it on record that the facts of the substantial matter are not before the Supreme Court since the apex court was only invited to rule on some preliminary issues in the process of commencing the trial.
“The Senate President believes he will have his day in the court to prove his innocence of the charges preferred against him during the trial proper.
“Dr. Saraki will like to thank everyone who has expressed support for him from the beginning of the case. He assures everyone that at the end of the day, truth will prevail and justice will be served”.