TheCable

Senate President Bukola Saraki says he will appear at the code of conduct tribunal on Tuesday to defend charges of false declaration of assets.

He had failed to obey the summons on Friday on the basis of a motion he filed at an Abuja high court, although he was represented by his lawyers.

The tribunal promptly issued a bench warrant, which Saraki has sought to overturn by filing a notice of appeal at the court of appeal, Abuja.

However in a statement issued by his media office on Monday, the senate president said he is “ready to submit himself”.

“While the Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had stated and maintained that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, he also believes that he has an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are about to be infringed upon,” the statement read.

“The senate president is a law abiding citizen and his absence from tribunal was based on legal advice he received from his counsel that it is not necessary for him to appear before the tribunal at this stage since the jurisdiction of the tribunal and the process of initiating the matter are being challenged before the federal High Court Abuja.

“Following the adjournment for the determination of the motion on notice and the substantive suit before the Federal High Court to 30^th of September and the appeal pending before the Court of Appeal adjourned to the 29^th of September 2015, the Senate President has decided, as a law abiding citizen, to appear before the Tribunal in the interim.

“Dr. Saraki has taken the decision to attend the Tribunal sitting to demonstrate his respect for the rule of law in spite of his personal reservation on the process of his trial and the purpose it may be intended to serve.

“Dr. Saraki wishes to assure Nigerians of his absolute belief in the judicial process and is therefore confident that the course of justice would be served at the end of this matter.”