By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA-A coalition of Civil Society Organizations, yesterday, hailed the judgment of the Supreme Court exonerating the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, of charges preferred against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, by the federal government.

The coalition under the aegis of Concerned CSOs Alliance for Democracy and Development, CCA4D,in a statement in Abuja, signed by its National President, Ishaku Mohammed Abubakar,described the judgment as victory for democracy.

While describing the Senate President as “astute statesman whose moral compass consistently points to the direction of the truth” , the group alleged that the charges against the him by the federal government at the CCT were “trumped-up charges” aimed at diverting citizens away from important issues.

“The former Governor of Kwara State is an astute statesman whose moral compass consistently points to the direction of truth.

“The charges against him by the Federal Government are trumped-up charges to divert the attention of the citizens away from the important issues,”it insisted.

The group which said it was an alliance of over 20 civil society organizations dedicated to strengthening democracy and democratic institutions in Nigeria, said the Justice Musa Mohammed Dattijo-led 5-man ruling had again pointed to the fact that judiciary was not only the beacon of Nigeria’s democracy but also their last hope.

” The triumph of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the Supreme Court today shouldn’t be very surprising to the discerning. Ever since he took the mantle of leadership at the legislature, there has been a committed attempt by the Executive Arm of the Federal Government to bring him down.

“These usurpers and enemies of democracy for the past three years have been on a fest of buttressing half-truths and whole lies just to impugn his personality.

“With the judgment of the Supreme Court today, it buttresses the premise that the judiciary is the beacon of our democracy and the last best hope for Nigerians.

” The judiciary has been unbiased in dispensing justice. The Bukola Saraki that we know is forever committed to the Nigerian project because he knows fully well that the old folklore that “all bullies are cowards” remains true up until this day and the Federal Government should note that those who fix things for a morally indefensible and politically decadent order will succeed only for a transient moment, “it added.

The statement read further:” With the happenings going on in the country especially with the rising insecurity, we would have expected the executive to step up the gas and offer presidential leadership. Alas, that is not Nigeria’s current reality.

“The Federal Government and its political actors have been on a campaign to smear anyone they perceive as a threat, and they have become a contract for jingoistic and hostile fly-by comments that disunite the country instead of healing the divides.

“The business of governance for three years now has been sacrificed on the altar of sinister politicking. Isn’t it clear to the mischief-makers that Mr. Saraki is making tremendous headway in the many legal travails he is facing and it’s about time they desist? With the array of mines strewn in his path, the Senate he leads has done in two years what it took past senate four years to achieve.

“We would be very insincere with ourselves if we posit that we don’t know the folks that are responsible for Mr. Saraki’s current travails.

“2019 is getting closer and our PVC’s are always in our pockets.”

Recall that the apex court in its ruling delivered by Justice Centus Nweze, held that the decision of the Court of Appeal case prima facie made against Saraki is ‘the juridical equivalent of a forensic somersault.”

Recall also that in June 2017, the Danladi Umar-led Code of Conduct Tribunal terminated the trial that was brought against the Senate President.

It based its decision on the grounds that the prosecution, with the four witnesses and forty-nine exhibits tendered, failed to show any credible evidence conecting Bukola Saraki to the eighteen counts preferred against him.

However, in December 2017, the Federal Government filed an appeal against the decision of the CCT, and with clear interference from the Federal Government three out of the dismissed eighteen counts were restored and the Senate President was ordered to return to the CCT to defend the three charges.