Senate President Bukola Saraki says he has no grudge
against anyone who played a role in his “persecution”
for two years.

He also said his discharge by the Code of Conduct
Tribunal (CCT) did not call for wanton celebration, but
for deep reflection.

On Wednesday, the CCT dismissed the 18-count
charge of false asset declaration brought against him
by the government after a two-year tedious trial.

Until his discharge, Saraki had tried multiple times to
have the charges quashed, but he failed.

In a statement issued hours after the ruling of the
tribunal, the senate president said his hope in the
judiciary had been renewed.

He also said the decision of the tribunal vindicated his
position, which is that his trial was politically
motivated.

“You would recall that at the beginning of the trial, I
maintained that I will clear my name. The conclusion
of this trial has vindicated my position. With the
outcome of this case, our faith is renewed in our courts
and our hope is restored that the judiciary in our
country could indeed provide sanctuary for all those
who seek justice,” he said.

“I thank the Almighty Allah, the ultimate Judge and the
repository of all powers. He alone has brought about
this victory. I am immensely grateful to all my
colleagues in the national assembly for their abiding
support. All through my trial, they demonstrated their
strong conviction about the choice we all decided to
make two years ago. I thank members of my family for
their unflinching support. I thank all friends and
supporters back home in Kwara state and across the
length and breadth of our country for their prayers and
their sacrifices. My gratitude also goes to all members
of my legal team for their tireless efforts to ensure the
cause of justice is served.

“After undergoing the crucible of a tortuous trial, my
vindication today calls for celebration. It is my belief
however that if there should be any celebration at all, it
should be a celebration of the hopes that this
judgment gives us as citizens that despite all the
challenges that we face as a country, we are well on
our way to building a country where the innocent
needs not be afraid. I therefore urge all my supporters
to refrain from any unbridled triumphalism. The
challenges that our country faces today are enormous
and do not allow for wanton celebration. Instead, we
should all reflect on the significance of this moment
and what it meant for our democracy.

“On a personal note, I harbour no grudge against
anyone, regardless of the role they might have played
in the persecution that I had endured in the last two
years. I believe that If my trial had in anyway given
hope to the common man that no matter the forces
arraigned against him, he can still get justice in our
courts, then my tribulation had not been in vain.

“Once again, I thank my colleagues in the 8th senate
for standing firm. Regardless of the distraction of my
trial, we have achieved more as legislators than the
previous senates. Now that this distraction is over, we
can even achieve so much more. We must now
proceed from here with greater vigour to deliver on the
expectations of Nigerians and show that this 8th
senate can indeed play a central role in improving the
quality of lives of our people.”

TheCable