According to Sahara Reporters, Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau has filed charges against Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for alleged failure to fully declare his assets. The tribunal’s 13-count charge exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters accuses Mr. Saraki, among other crimes, of improperly using state funds to purchase private assets during his tenure as the governor of Kwara State while he was senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. See the document after the break
The Senate President was also accused of declaring as part of his assets a property that had not been sold to him, a maneuver that is known as “anticipatory looting” in Nigeria’s political lexicon. Meanwhile, it is on record that the Code of Conduct Tribunal has never convicted any Nigerian official for false declaration of assets. Mr. Saraki has been embattled ever since his emergence as the Senate Presidency, with many anti-corruption activists and groups viewing him as an impediment to any efforts to combat corruption in Nigeria.