#PanamaPapers: I won’t resign, Senate President, Bukola Saraki says

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Friday said he would not yield to growing calls from Nigerians that he should step down amid growing corruption scandals.

Mr. Saraki said those calling for his resignation were being sponsored by politicians who had always opposed his leadership since he emerged Senate President last June,

He added that his detractors were trying to circumvent the country’s judicial system.

Mr. Saraki who responding to a story published by PREMIUM TIMES earlier today, in which the Transition Monitoring Group lend its voice to a growing call for the Senate President’s ouster.

In a text message sent to their reporter by his Special Adviser on Media, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Mr. Saraki said he was not contemplating resignation.

“There’s a case in the Tribunal and a resultant appeal at the Court of Appeal,” the statement said. “The underlining philosophy of our legal system is that an accused person is presumed innocent until found guilty.”

“Those who are contemplating calls for resignation want to circumvent the judicial system. They are obviously being sponsored by some politicians.

“The Senate President is not contemplating any resignation. He will surely have his day in court.”

Since Mr. Saraki was arraigned by the Code of Conduct Tribunal the calls for him to step down have continued to mount.

On Thursday, several activists and other Nigerians openly called on the Senate President to resign. They were joined today by the TMG.

In his response to the #PanamaPapers publication, Mr. Saraki said the controversial assets belonged to the estate of his wife’s rich and famous family, and that the law did not mandate him to declare such a category of assets.