Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, was last Tuesday docked before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT sitting in Abuja on a 13-count criminal charge bordering on corruption, false declaration of assets, and illegal operation of a foreign bank account while in office as a public servant. Part of his travails was also the loss of ground in Kwara State where he had governed for eight years and where his father was the undisputed number one politician before his death.

Saraki was allegedly stoned at the Eid ground during the Eid-el-Kabir prayer last Thursday, a tale that would have been unimagined some months back. Saraki, who was docked before the tribunal at 11:24 a.m., pleaded not guilty to the charge marked ABT/01/15, which the Federal Ministry of Justice preferred against him following a recommendation by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.

He was accompanied to the tribunal by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senators Shaaba Lafiaji; Theodore Orji; Mao Ohuabunwa, Tayo Alasoadura, Kaura Tijani, Samuel Anyanwu, Ben Murray-Bruce, Gilbert Nnaji, Peter Nwaoboshi, Rose Okoh, Kabiru Gaya, Sunny Ogborji, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Mohammed Ohiare, Isa Hamma Missau, Emmanuel Paulker, Ibrahim Abdullahi, Obinna Ogba, Clifford Ordia, Foster Ogola, Gershom Bassey and Olaka Nwogu; Senator Aliyu Wamakko and Dr. Samuel Egwu.

In the charge sheet, which was signed by a deputy director in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. M. S. Hassan, he was alleged to have manipulated the assets declaration forms he submitted before the CCB in 2003, 2007 and 2011, by making anticipatory declaration of assets.

The Federal Government maintained that the action of the Senate President ran contrary to the provisions of section 2 of the CCB and Tribunal Act, and punishable under section 15(1) & (2), and 23(2) of the CCB and Tribunal Act, Cap C15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, as well as paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Saraki was later released on bail after a plea by his lawyers.

While praying the tribunal to release the Senate President on bail, his lawyer, relied on section 36(b) of the 1999 constitution and pleaded that he should be given adequate time and facilities to prepare his case.

In granting him the bail, the Justice Umar-led Tribunal said: "The defendant, having brought himself voluntarily, we are not going to ask him not to go back home. He will go back and present himself for trial at the next adjourned date".

The case was thereafter adjourned till October 21, 22 and 23 to hear Saraki's preliminary objections. Saraki's ordeal started when the Code of Conduct Bureau summoned him to the Tribunal in relation to the 13-count charge filed against him for allegedly violating the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal (CCB/T) Act on assets' declaration

He was to appear at the Tribunal penultimate Friday but he was absent as he had earlier filed an action at the Abuja Federal High Court and the court mandated the CCT to suspend hearing till Monday, September 21 on the charges of false declaration of assets leveled against him by Code of Conduct Bureau.

Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja penultimate Friday however issued a bench warrant for arrest of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for refusing to attend the tribunal's proceedings. The tribunal, led by Justice Danladi Umar, ordered the Inspector General of Police, IGP or other relevant security agencies to arrest Saraki and produce him in court last Monday.

The tribunal gave the orders while ruling on arguments by prosecution lawyer, Muslim Hassan (of the Federal Ministry of Justice) and defence lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN). The tribunal also refused an assurance by one of his lawyers, Joseph Daudu (SAN), that he will produce Saraki before the tribunal on the next adjourned date, insisting that it was inappropriate for the tribunal to reverse itself having ordered Saraki's arrest.

Hassan had noted at the commencement of proceedings that Saraki was absent in court despite being served with summons. Hassan consequently urged the tribunal to issue a bench warrant for arraignment of Saraki before the tribunal. In the alternative, he urged the tribunal to stand the case down for some time to allow Saraki's law prevails on him to appear.

Magaji countered Hassan's position and urged the court to discountenance his (Hassan's) application on the ground that he lacks the locus standi to file the charge and that the tribunal has no jurisdiction to hear the case. Citing Section 24(2) of the CCB/T Act, Magaji argued that it was only the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) or any official of his office he authorized that could legitimately initiate such criminal proceedings.

He contended that since the AGF is not in place, no official of the office of the AGF could legitimately initiate proceedings against anyone. Magaji also argued that his client's presence was unnecessary at this stage because he was currently challenging the competence of the charge and the tribunal's jurisdiction to hear the case.

He equally drew the tribunal's attention to the case his client filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, and the order it made asking the respondents, including the CCT to explain why they should not be restrained from proceeding with the case.

It would be recalled that, on June 9, 2015, Bukola Saraki emerged the Senate President unopposed when his APC colleagues were at a venue waiting for a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. His emergence was against the party's decision that Ahmed Lawan from Bauchi should be the Senate President.

Saraki also defied the party's order on the sharing of other principal offices as he bluntly refused to follow the letter sent to him by the party containing those who were to occupy the principal offices. Since then, Saraki has been in the black book of the party especially its national leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu who gave his support to Lawan.

Abubakar Bukola Saraki was born on December 19, 1962 to the family of Olusola Saraki, a senator (1979 – 1983) and onetime Senate Leader. He attended Kings College Lagos from 1973 to 1978, and Cheltenham College, Chelteham, London from 1979 to 1981 for his High School Certificate. He then studied at the London Hospital Medical College of the University of London from 1982 to 1987, when he obtained his M.B.B.S. (London).

He worked as a medical officer at Rush Green Hospital Essex, from 1988 to 1989. He was a director of Societe Generale Bank (Nig) Ltd. from 1990 to 2000.

In 2000, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Saraki as Special Assistant to the President on Budget. During his tenure as Special Assistant, Saraki initiated the Fiscal Responsibility Bill.

He also served on the Economic Policy Coordination Committee, where he was responsible for the formulation and implementation of several key economic policies for Nigeria.

In 2003, he ran for the office of Governor of Kwara State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and won. He was sworn into office in May 2003. He ran again for re-election in 2007 and won his second term. As governor of Kwara, he led reforms in agriculture, health, education, finance and environment policy. One of his major achievements was inviting displaced white farmers from Zimbabwe to Kwara State and offering them an opportunity to farm. This led to the establishment of Shonga Farms programme. His charisma among his fellow governors got him appointed as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum.