CCT Trial: Discharge, Acquit Saraki, Group Urges FG

CCT Trial: Discharge, Acquit Saraki, Group Urges FG

A group known as the Nigeria Needs Positive Change Group (NNPCG) in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, asked the federal government to discontinue the case instituted against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The need to discharge and acquit Saraki, the group said, became imperative in view of developments at the last Friday sitting of the tribunal.

NNPCG in a statement issued and signed  by its secretary, Mr. Jide Jokotade, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Ilorin at the weekend, said: "The fact that two charges were dropped by the federal government owing to lack of evidence against Saraki is a clear testimony that there were and there are still errors in the charges.

"And this confirms earlier claims by Saraki and his supporters that the exercise at the CCT is persecution, not prosecution and is politically motivated," it said. ‎

It described the ‎ continuation of the trial at the CCT as an abuse of power and judicial process, maintaining that: "Since the prosecutor had pronounced publicly and admitted established flaws in the trial, therefore, any further action in that direction amounts to persecution and political vendetta.

"If Saraki is not acquitted immediately, the federal government must be honourable too to re -arraign former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, whom the same prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, equally admitted was discharged in error.

"The NNPCG, having considered the credibility of this trial, came to the conclusion that it was politically motivated and orchestrated to deceive and mislead Nigerians. The credible option would be to discharge and acquit Senator Bukola Saraki.

"The federal government should not only  apologise to‎ Nigerians and the Senate president, it should also ensure that all those involved in misleading our nation are brought to justice in order to serve as deterrent to others .

"We call on all Nigerians to rise up against this impunity and abuse of office as demonstrated in the ongoing trial of Saraki at CCT.

"We know that President Muhammadu Buhari as a believer in the principle of fairness and equity will do justice on this matter."