EFCC begins fresh investigations into Saraki's dealings when he was Kwara State governor

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials have opened fresh corruption investigations against senate president Senator Bukola Saraki with a view to bringing charges against him when he leaves office on June 10.

Highly controversial Senator Saraki has been involved in a series of running battles with the government since he assumed office in dramatic circumstances in 2015. Senator Saraki outfoxed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by teaming up with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to become senate president, offering them the deputy senate president position in return.

Ever since then, he has been involved in a series if running battle with the government, being charged with false asset declaration and last year, it was alleged that armed thugs he recruited recruiting in Kwara State carried out a brutal bank robbery in Offa. Last year, Senator Saraki quit the APC and joined the PDP where he stood as a presidential candidate but ended up losing out to former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

This year, things got worse for Senator Saraki when he failed to retain his Kwara Central Senatorial District seat, losing out to the APC candidate Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe. He is due to leave the senate when its term expires on May 29 and when the ninth senate resumes on June 10, a new senate president will be elected.

It now appears that the government may go after Senator Saraki when he leaves office as the EFCC has been asked to look at fresh cases against him. Isyaku Sharu, the EFCC zonal head overseeing Kwara State, said the agency is looking into all salaries, allowances, estacodes, and payments Senator Saraki received as governor between 2003 and 2011.