I sympathise with tribunal chairman, says Senate President

SENATE President Abubakar Bukola Saraki yesterday sarcastically
expressed sympathy for Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Chairman
Danladi Umar over his alleged travail in the hand of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Saraki, in a post on his Facebook page, said the EFCC suddenly
woke up four days to the resumption of his (Saraki’s) asset
declaration case to slam a criminal charge against Umar.

He noted that in April 2016, when his lawyers asked Umar to
rescue himself from his (Saraki’s) case because of the criminal
investigation against him, the EFCC swiftly cleared Umar of any
wrongdoing.

He wondered what has changed since April 2016 and few days ago
to force the EFCC to file criminal case against Umar.

Saraki wondered “whether those who genuinely love this
Government appreciate the damage that all this is doing to our
so-called ‘War Against Corruption’”.

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
my case is merely about asset declaration irregularities, the
maneuvers, 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 Abubakar Bukola Saraki yesterday sarcastically
expressed sympathy for Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Chairman
Danladi Umar over his alleged travail in the hand of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Saraki, in a post on his Facebook page, said the EFCC suddenly
woke up four days to the resumption of his (Saraki’s) asset
declaration case to slam a criminal charge against Umar.

He noted that in April 2016, when his lawyers asked Umar to
rescue himself from his (Saraki’s) case because of the criminal
investigation against him, the EFCC swiftly cleared Umar of any
wrongdoing.

He wondered what has changed since April 2016 and few days ago
to force the EFCC to file criminal case against Umar.

Saraki wondered “whether those who genuinely love this
Government appreciate the damage that all this is doing to our
so-called ‘War Against Corruption’”.

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
my case is merely about asset declaration irregularities, the
maneuvers, 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.”