The current travail of the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr. Danladi Umar in the hands of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has elicited sympathy from Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Saraki, currently standing trial over alleged false assets declaration before Umar’s CCT, wondered why the anti-graft agency which had earlier cleared the CCT chair, suddenly made a U-turn.
Specifically, the former Kwara state governor wondered “whether those who genuinely love this government appreciate the damage that all this is doing to our so-called ‘War Against Corruption.”
The EFCC is accusing the CCT helmsman of N10million bribery, allegedly taken on his behalf from one Rasheed Owolabi, by his personal assistant.
In what looks like a mockery of the ‘new order,’ Saraki, on his Face Book Page yesterday, expressed surprise at the latest development, wondering what had suddenly changed.
Senate President Saraki recalled how his lawyers in April 2016, asked Umar to disqualify himself from his (Saraki’s) trial, following criminal investigation against him, with the EFCC swiftly coming to Umar’s defence.
The post read: “I sympathise with the Chairman of the Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar, for his travail in the hands of the EFCC which suddenly woke up four days to the resumption of this case to file criminal charges against him.
“You will recall that in April 2016, when our lawyers asked the Tribunal Chairman to rescue himself from our case, because of the criminal investigation against him, the EFCC swiftly cleared Mr. Umar of any wrongdoing.
“Now, I find it amusing, that in a dramatic turnaround, this same EFCC now thinks that Mr. Umar has a case to answer just before the commencement of my case before him. What has changed since April 2016?
“As much as many Nigerians want to continue to believe that this case is merely about asset declaration irregularities, the manoeuvres, manipulation, intrigues, schemes, and “House of Cards” nature of this whole case proves otherwise.
“I really wonder whether those who genuinely love this Government appreciate the damage that all this is doing to our so-called ‘War Against Corruption.’
“However, in all of this, my confidence in the judiciary and its ability to do justice in all cases remains unshakeable. — Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki”
