The ball remains firmly un-played in the court of Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Saharareporter.com, as Senate President Bukola Saraki called him out last last week.

It is indeed curious that a clear week after the allegations made against Sowoye, in a statement issued by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to Saraki, the United States of America based publisher has not responded.

In a report  under the headline: “Theft Of Paris Club Refund: Saraki Claimed He Borrowed N5b From Dangote To Fund Buhari’s Election,” Saharareporters had alleged: “Saraki grabbed for himself at least N3.5” from the   refund of over-deducted Paris Club repayments from monthly allocations to states as demanded by governors.

The report, the third in a series of publications on the subject by saharareporters, quoting an unnamed source at Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),  further alleged: “Mr. Saraki also colluded with the Governors’ Forum to send N5 billion out of the funds to multi-billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote. Our source said the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had assisted the Governors’ Forum to have access to the funds.”

Although the report said that Dangote rejected the money, which was allegedly transferred to him, it insinuated that the billionaire business man turned down the money because it was paid to him through baking transactions that could be traced. It suggested that Dangote really wanted the money.

But Saraki’s Special Assistant dismissed these allegations in his statement. Besides insisting that this extant report was a figment of the writer’s imagination, it alleged the establishment of a pattern of stories targeted at destroying Saraki’s personality.

Said the statement issued by Olaniyonu: “”Sowore has consistently engaged in this game of defaming Saraki since the election of the Senate President on June 9, 2015 believing that the  libellous publications could bring Saraki down in a matter of days.

“We recall how at the commencement of the case on Asset Declaration at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, he reported stories which  proceedings in the CCT have since proved to the contrary. As of yesterday, the key Prosecution Witness from the Code Of Conduct Bureau has admitted that, in September 2015 when they filed the case against Saraki, there was no evidence against him.

“We recall that Sowore also alleged that Saraki bribed a former Chief Justice of Nigeria to influence the CCT case. This has since proved not to be the case.  Later, he shifted his bribery allegation to the Director of Public Prosecution in the Federal Ministry of Justice who he claimed was induced to withdraw the CCT case. This has since  also been proved not to be the case. He later alleged that the Senate President had influenced the verdict of a judgement at the Court of Appeal which was then arrested.

This was not supported by any fact. Another  allegation  he made was  that the Senate President was involved in the Sambo Dasuki fund saga. That could  equally not be proved. Again, when there was a robbery incident involving money owned by a Bureau de Change, Sahara Reporters claimed Saraki owned the money. This has not been proved. As well just  as this claim of N3.5bn payment by NGF has not been supported by any fact.”

Saraki’s office then alleged that Sowore was making claims against the Senate President without proof.

This is the second time Sowore would be accused of making allegations without evidence within the last three months. In January, United Kingdom based Lekan Fatodu had accused Sowore of  defamation and assault. Although this issue eventually drew the attention of the police with Fatodu threatening to take the matter to court, nothing has been heard of the matter after the few days in which it raged.

Things might however not go the same way with the Saraki case as the Senate President has vowed to employ everything within his power not just to clear his name but to also show the world that Sowore doesn’t have to make unsubstantiated claims. And Nigerians wait for the end of this epic battle.

*Salami is resident in Ibadan