In Nigeria, the Panama Papers leak could be about to claim its latest high-profile victim.

Bukola Saraki, the president of the Nigerian Senate, has been caught up in the scandal relating to the leak of 11.5 million tax documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Saraki—who is currently on trial in Nigeria on charges of fraud, including false declaration of assets, all of which he denies—is accused of failing to declare at least four offshore assets listed under his wife Toyin’s name. The assets include a property in London’s plush Belgravia neighborhood, as well as two companies registered in the British Virgin Islands and a third in the Seychelles, both known tax havens, according to Nigeria’s Premium Times, a media partner in the Panama Papers investigation.

Holders of public office in Nigeria are required by law to declare their own assets, as well as those of their spouse and children under 18 years of age.

Saraki issued a statement on Monday protesting his innocence, saying that he has “fully complied with the provisions of the law” on declaration of assets. The statement said that the properties in questions were held by the family of Saraki’s wife and that “the law does not require a public officer to declare assets held by the spouse’s family.”

Combined with the ongoing fraud trial, however, the revelation is likely to heap pressure on Nigeria’s third-most powerful politician behind President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The All Progressives Congress politician previously served as the governor of Kwara state in west Nigeria between 2003 and 2011 before entering the Senate, the upper house of Nigeria’s National Assembly. A qualified physician and former banker, he was elected as Senate president in June 2015. The issuing of an arrest warrant for Saraki in September 2015 by Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Tribunal on 13 counts of alleged corruption was the first time in Nigerian history that a sitting Senate president had been subjected to such a warrant.

Saraki’s trial revolves around his time as Kwara state governor. Charges against him include acquiring wealth beyond his legitimate earnings and holding a foreign bank account while in public office, which violates the fifth schedule of Nigeria’s constitution.

Prosecution witness Michael Wetkas, who headed up the anti-graft agency team that investigated Saraki, said on Tuesday that Saraki had laundered money through British and U.S. bank accounts and had failed to properly declare most of his assets. According to Wetkas, Saraki’s Nigerian account had a total inflow and outflow of up to 4 billion naira ($20 million) between 2005 and 2013, AFP reported.

Following the Panama Papers leak, Nigerian civil society groups have called upon President Buhari—who has made tackling corruption a key prong of his administration—to launch a probe into Saraki and other top officials implicated by the leak. Such a probe could raise further difficult questions for Saraki and is the last thing the embattled Senate president needs.


http://www.newsweek.com/panama-papers-who-nigerias-senate-president-bukola-saraki-444934

He should just resign and go invest n enjoy his blood money somewhere . . . The guy isn't even fit to be a mere commissioner under Fayose.

Just when you taught uve heard it all, you keep hearing more!

I believe this is just the tip of d iceberg we will hear about these thieving politicians!

One by one, we wl witness their dance of shame!

Saraki should just resign honorably

Double wahala for dead body. Unfortunately Nigeria leaders cant resign honourably they choose to be drag along the mud.

Like Father Like SON

Saraki should stop listening to those lawyers that are only out to chop their own share of the loot. He shld have resigned since and enter into plea bargaining to save his head.
Now its too late to cry!

Crookola Saraki is pretending to be unperturbed but a close look at him clearly negates the false bravado, he has lost a bit of weight...

He knows he can't beat this rap, all he & his lawyers are hoping for is that they manage to get a "political" solution which is not going to happen despite the subtle blackmail about persecution


The yeye senators spurring him on are only lying to him because of the committees he fixed them in & also trying to cover the bases in (unlikely )case he beats the rap.....

The loyalty is reward driven! No substance to it.

Everyday for the thief one day for the owner.

Standing5:
He should just resign and go invest n enjoy his blood money somewhere . . .
The guy isn't even fit to be a mere commissioner under Fayose.

The Sarakis will disown him if he dare resign. They believe he can still buy some more time.

I refuse to take this government serious until a high-profiled politician is jailed.............

Why no pressure for dangote and Theophilus danjuma who sponsored buhari election are they not in the Panama papers too. Buhari want want to start another selective trial against opposition

modath:
Crookola Saraki is pretending to be unperturbed but a close look at him will attest to that fact, he has lost a bit of weight...

He knows he can't beat this rap, all he & his lawyers are hoping for is that they manage to get a "political" solution which is not going to happen despite the subtle blackmail about persecution


The yeye senators spurring him on are only lying to him because of the committees he fixed them in & also trying to cover the bases in (unlikely )case he beats the rap.....

The loyalty is reward driven! No substance to it.

saratif still thinks he s smart , but his street credentials is sooo poor. a mere commissioner is gona send him to jail after all. If he s truly sorry I can bet you a woman somewhere can save him. But is he sorry?

In saraki to resign hmmmmm, dat man wey no get shame, from what am seeing dat man better die dere Dan resign. In mama peace voice I rather kill my self Dan commit suicide

todayboy:
Why no pressure for dangote and Theophilus danjuma who sponsored buhari election are they not in the Panama papers too. Buhari want want to start another selective trial against opposition

Can't you just keep quiet, read comments and learn if you have no sensible thing to say

Everyone knows that saraki own e don kpafuka

He should have resigned when the pressure was up

shaqhead:
Just when you taught uve heard it all, you keep hearing more!

I believe this is just the tip of d iceberg we will hear about these thieving politicians!

One by one, we wl witness their dance of shame!

And will anything happen after we hear? No, nothing will happen

Am waiting for his arrest

I am happy seeing that pic of him in the 'Accused Box'.

Y cnt dis saraki jst resign. He has no drop of moral right to occupy dat SP seat. Cct de thr, his wife's ordeal de thr ( or is d wife now a seperate entity cos I knw both of dem r 1 in union), and now Panama papers don de exposed. I neva see dis my kind of country. In developed countries, he wld hv resigned n probably arrested. Dis cnt hapn here yet we wish 2 compete wit developed countries.

Kuje is waiting.

Even if all our politicians are indicted, we already know nothing will happen to them. The earlier you guys stop disturbing us with this Panama papers the better for us to focus on this fuel scarcity.

witch-hunting

u were making sense till u said he shd go and invest the money.... so the money should be left for him abi?

Standing5:
He should just resign and go invest n enjoy his blood money somewhere . . .
The guy isn't even fit to be a mere commissioner under Fayose.