‘I Was Extremely Rich Before I Became Governor’- Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki said yesterday that he was “extremely rich” before he became Kwara State governor in 2003.

He said he had $22million, about £12million, 2.6m Euro and about N4billion in cash in his various accounts.

Aside the liquid asset, Saraki said he also possessed landed property estimated at N2billion and 15 vehicles valued at about N263.4m.

He gave details of the vehicles he acquired as at 2003 to include: Mercedes X320, valued at N16m; Mercedes X500 worth N20m; Mercedes G500, valued at N6m; Mercedes V220 worth 2m and Ferrari456GT, valued at N25m.

Others are: Navigator, N15m, MN240 worth N8.5m; Peugeot 406, valued at N2.9m; Mercedes CLK 320 worth N9m; Mercedes E320 valued at N11m; Mercedes G500 bullet proof worth N45m; Mercedes X500 worth N300m; Lexus jeep bullet proof valued at N30m and Lincoln Navigator bullet proof worth N25m.

Saraki’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), made these public yesterday at the resumption of the Senate President’s trial for alleged false asset declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja.

Erokoro, who was cross-examining the first prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas, identified the assets as claimed by Saraki in the asset declaration form he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in 2003.

Erokoro said he needed to point out that his client was very rich before he became Kwara State governor to erase the wrong impression created by the prosecution that he could not have acquired the property he claimed to have without obtaining loans from banks

The lawyer was, however, silent on the source of his client’s wealth and how he came about all the property and cash he claimed to have possessed before he became governor in 2003.

Saraki’s profile, in “Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia,” indicated that he was born on December, 19 1962 and  studied at the London Hospital Medical College of the University of London from 1982 to 1987, when he obtained his M.B.B.S (London).

He worked as a medical officer at Rush Green Hospital, Essex, from 1988 to 1989 and was a director of Société Générale Bank (Nig) Ltd from 1990 to 2000. The bank founded by his now late father, Dr. Olusola Saraki, had its operating licence withdrawn in January 2006 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In 2000, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Saraki as Special Assistant, a position he held until he became governor.