OMG!!! Saraki topping list of senators with criminal charges

A total of 9 out of 109 members of the
Nigerian Senate in the 8th National
Assembly are enmeshed in criminal cases.
With nine of the cases at various stages of trials
in courts, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki is
scheduled to kick off his trial in few weeks.
Sadly, the number of the lawmakers facing
various criminal charges ranging from corruption
to false declaration of assets represents 10 per
cent of the members of the Senate.
Pulse brings you the list of these lawmakers,
who are battling to save their face, name and
political career.
Bukola Saraki; Senate President, Kwara Central
Leading the list of the senators facing criminal
charges is the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
The two-term governor of Kwara State and
current number one lawmaker is currently facing
a 13-count charge at the Code of Conduct
Tribunal (CCT) bordering on false assets
declaration while he was the governor of his
home state and his spouse, Mrs. Toyin Saraki
has a file at the EFCC over alleged squandering
of Kwara State funds. The CCT has fixed March
10, for continuation of Saraki’s trial.
Ike Ekweremadu; Dep. Senate President, Enugu
West
Saraki is not the only one at the helms of affair
as his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is also
facing criminal charges. Ekweremadu, who has
been occupying the position since the era of
Senator David Mark in 2007, is facing a forgery
case at the Federal High Court. The case was
instituted by his colleagues, Senator Abu
Ibrahim, Kabiru Marafa, Robert Boroffice, Gbenga
Ashafa and Suleiman Hunkuyi, dragged him and
others to the court over alleged forgery of the
Senate standing orders, the document used for
the conduct of the Senate elections.
Godswill Akpabio; Minority Leader, Akwa-Ibom
North West
Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio is an ex-governor
of Akwa Ibom state and is being investigated for
corruption. He was invited twice by the EFCC in
2015 over allegation of N108bn fraud.
Danjuma Goje; Chairman of Senate Committees,
Gombe Central
The former governor of Gombe State is a second
time Senator and is facing an 18- count charge
bordering on conspiracy and fraud to N25bn with
four others as instituted by the EFCC. The case
was transferred to Jos from Gombe in 2015 on
the instruction of the Chief Justice of the
Federation over security concerns. The case was
adjourned to April 12, 2016.
Ahmed Sani Yarima; Chairman of Senate
Committee on Marine Transport, Zamfara West
This three-term senator and former governor of
Zamfara State had been docked on a 19-count
charge of corruption by the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) at the Zamfara State High
Court in Gusau. The commission accused Yarima
of diverting part of the N1 billion project funds
for the repair of collapsed Gusau Dam and
resettlement of the victims of flood to other
purposes in 2006.
Abdullahi Adamu; Chairman Senate Commitee on
Agriculture, Nasarawa West
This senator and ex-governor of Nasarawa State
was arrested by the EFCC In Feb 2010 for
allegedly misappropriating N15billion alongside
18 others. He was subsequently arraigned on a
149-count charge of fraud to the tune of N15
billion, before Justice Ibrahim Buba , who was
later replaced on the case by Justice Marcel
Awokulehin . Adamu and his co-accused
challenged the charge and after losing,
subsequently appealed the ruling to the Court of
Appeal sitting in Markudi, Benue State. The case
is still ongoing.
Abdulaziz Nyako; Chairman Committee on
Special Duties
Son of former Governor Murtala Nyako,
Abdulaziz was first docked alongside his father
in June 2015 at a Federal High Court in Abuja
over cases of alleged corruption. They were
arraigned before Justice E. Chukwu of the
Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 37-count charge
bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse
of office and money laundering. They were
accused of using five companies to siphon over
N15billion.
Joshua Dariye; Chairman Committee on Solid
Minerals, Plateau Central
This former governor of Plateau State has been
standing trial since 2007 on a 23-count charge
bordering on money laundering, abuse of office
and corruption. He was accused of embezzling
over N1.2billion ecological funds.
Buruji Kashamu; Vice Chairman Committee on
States and Local Governments, Ogun East
Senator Kashamu Buruji met his waterloo after
his fallout with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo,
thus exposing his alleged drug peddling case. He
is currently facing possible extradition from the
National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA), on request from the United States. In
May, 2015 a Federal High Court in Lagos
stopped the Inspector General of Police (IGP),
Attorney General of the Federation(AGF) and
nine others from arresting the senator for
extradition to the United States over alleged
drug-related offences.