The
Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
Comrade Timi Frank has spurned the party’s leadership for allegedly leaving the
Senate President, Bukola Saraki to battle with his trial at the Code of Conduct
Tribunal alone.
In
a statement issued Friday, Frank described the continued trial of the Senate
President at the CCT as worrisome in view of the manifest flaws and in the
processes leading to the arraignment of Saraki.
Estranged
Frank who has been quite critical of the conduct of party affairs in recent
times, said it was dangerous that the leadership of the APC has decided to sit
on the fence and watch Saraki swim or sink in this trial.
He
said: “I sincerely hold that the current trial of Saraki is not only
underserved, but amounts to paying a good man with evil. I also want to say
that the leaders of our great party have unfortunately remained quiet in the
face of evil.
“I
don’t believe we have forgotten that the victory of the APC during the last
general elections could not have been possible without courageous strategists
like Saraki who lent his political weight in favour of the APC at the risk of
their own lives and personal survival.
“I
don’t think we have forgotten how Saraki as a Senator in the 7th Senate brought
the attention of Nigerians to the fraud perpetrated by the last administration
in the name of fuel subsidy.
“I
don’t think we have forgotten so soon how Saraki led five other governors of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC – a development that
successfully turned the political tide against the PDP and eventually tipped
the electoral scale against them during the 2015 general elections.
“I
don’t think we have forgotten how Saraki led scores of Senators to cross over
to the APC on the floor of the Senate.
“I
don’t think we have also forgotten what he gave of his time, personal resources
and energy to ensure that the APC emerged victorious both at the national,
state and local government level.
“The
question is: Why is the case of Saraki being treated differently at the CCT
that in 2011 struck out the case against one of our national leaders because he
was not given the opportunity to deny or admit the alleged discrepancies in his
asset declaration forms in line with Section 3(d) of the CCB/CCT Act.
This
is unlike 11 other ex-governors who had similar cases of irregularities whose
cases were dropped by the CCB after they were invited by the agency.”
“For
the avoidance of doubt, Section 3(d) of the CCB/CCT Act which has been so
undermined by the CCT in its Thursday ruling states that the CCB shall:
“Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of this Act and where
the Bureau (not the AGF or EFCC) considers it necessary to do so, refer such
complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by Section 20 of this
Act in accordance with the provisions of Sections 20 to 25 of this Act: provided
that where the concerned makes a written admission of such breach or
non-compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary.”
He
added: “It is based on the above precedent that I want to ask why Saraki’s case
is different? Why is the judiciary suddenly giving in to apparent blackmail
from a section of the media by refusing to do their job as required by law?
“Already
the Senate President has told the world that the trial has nothing to do with
corruption but that he is being persecuted for emerging as the Senate
President. To me, the ominous silence of our leaders since the day he was
arraigned uphill now serves to validate the claims of the Senate President that
he is being persecuted.
“Or
where else in the world will the number three citizen of a country be brought
before a tribunal over alleged irregularities in his asset declaration forms 13
years ago, and the hierarchy of the ruling party, to which he is a bonafide
member, will not come out to show solidarity or defend him?”
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