Date: 2018-07-16

The deputy chief of staff to the President of the Senate, Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola, yesterday said the nation's judicial system had set one of the best legacies with the discharge and acquittal of Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, over alleged false assets declaration

Makanjuola, a lawyer, said the Supreme Court's judgement, which dismissed the allegations against Saraki was an indication that the Judiciary remains the last hope of the common man. Makanjuola spoke in Omu-Aran, Irepodun local government area of Kwara State on the sidelines of a thanksgiving prayer he organised to commemorate the victory of the Senate President at the apex court.

The interdenominational prayer was officiated by the chief Imam of Omu- Aran, Sheikh Sadiq Afolayan and Rev. Canon Stephen Adeyemi of St. Paul Anglican Cathedral Church, Omu- Aran.

Makanjuola explained that the rationale behind the Supreme Court's verdict is that rule of law must be adhered to at all times no matter whose interest is at stake. Makanjuola said, "I'm a legal practitioner of 20 years standing.

Out of my 20 years of legal career, I have seen one of the best judicial legacies of our time, judicial pronouncements of our time, judicial decisions of our time. And this is to let you know that yes, no matter what you believe without your kind of insinuations or assumptions about the judiciary, which our judiciary is still the last hope of a common man, be it high and low.

"That is to let you know that there is hope in our judicial system, because the rationale of that ruling is that the rule of law must be obeyed, either you are poor or you are rich, either you are in power or you are not, whoever is involved, let the rule of law take its cause."

Speaking on the prayer session, Makanjuola, a former Member of the House of Representatives said "the rationale behind the prayer session is just to give glory, honour and adoration to God Almighty for seeing my boss, the President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, through the trials, the tribulations and the journey he went through in the hands of the enemies, detractors and the people I can call Bad Belle.

"But because we put and rely on God, and we put our hope and faith in Him, at the end of the day, we were not disappointed. And He has assured us from Day one that by grace of God He is with us, and God fulfilled His promise and covenant with us and we eventually triumphed."

The state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Ishola Balogun- Fulani, who spoke at the prayer session, said the event was organised to express gratitude and prayed Almighty God to guide Saraki in his political decisions. The director general of Abubakar Saraki Constituency office, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, the state secretary of APC, Hon Tunji Ayeni and Kwara south senatorial chairman of the party, Alhaji Jimoh Balogun were among the dignitaries that were present at the prayer session.