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Discordant views from the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, on review of the federal government’s strategy in combatting corruption following the unexpected triumph of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), highlight cracks in President
Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade.
Saraki had in the last 21 months been facing trial over false declaration of assets, but the tribunal last Wednesday ruled that he had no case to answer in the 18-point charge brought against him by the federal government.
Following Saraki’s acquittal, there had been rumble among top echelons of government since the judgement was delivered with some calling for appeal while others are of the view that status quo ante should be maintained.
However, The Federal Government yesterday appealed the court ruling that acquitted the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, of charges of corruption and false declaration of assets.
The federal government through Rotimi Jacobs SAN and Pius Akutah, an assistant Chief State Counsel signed, filed eleven grounds of appeal at the Court of Appeal Abuja to challenge the judgment of the CCT.
However, from a very reliable source, TheNewsGuru.com gathered that a strategic meeting earlier conveyed by some of the frontline Buhari’s anti-corruption aides in order to review the federal government’s strategy in combatting corruption reportedly ended up on a dead end road.
The meeting was attended by Malami, Sagay and another legal aide in the presidency, Mr. Okoi Obno-Obla.
Recall that Prof. Itse Sagay had condemned the acquittal saying there was no basis for the position taken by the tribunal, even as he stressed that the prosecution presented enough evidence to secure a conviction..
In the same vein, the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecutions, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, also maintained Sagay’s position that government would appeal the judgement.
Meanwhile, whereas while the duo are drummed for the appeal of the tribunal’s verdict, Malami, has a contradictory view.
Malami, it was gathered had disclosed that he would need the advise of President Muhammadu Buhari before a decision on whether to appeal the case or not.
He also said that FG has not appealed such case in the past and preceedent is law, since there is no such precedence in such high profile case it will be difficult to start it with Saraki’s case.
At the meeting Malami was quoted as saying, “it is a fruitless journey; we are not willing to embark on that. If we can’t review judgement against Tinubu, then we cannot review case against Saraki as that will appear as double standard”
When contacted, an aide to the Senate President told TheNewsGuru.com that: “They can go ahead with the appeal but it is just an abuse of court process and we will come out victorious any day.”
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in Abuja mentioned that a review of the judgement against Saraki will negatively affect the integrity of the APC.
“If they can’t appeal the case against Tinubu, then why waste time appealing against Saraki. It is important that our party start thinking about its integrity or we will risk getting booted out in 2019.” The source added