Nigerian politicians bailed amid forgery trial

By Olanrewaju Kola

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) – Nigerian Senate leaders standing trial on forgery charges were granted bail Monday by a federal court in the nation's capital.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, his deputy Ike Ekweremadu and two senior public servants of the Nigerian National Assembly, are charged with forging Senate procedures and laws to facilitate their election as leaders of the country's upper house.

Saraki and Ekweremadu were granted bail under the country's Administration Criminal Justice Act. Their lawyers have argued that opposing bail applications of the Senate president and his deputy would "disrupt the business of the country”.

The court also adjourned the trial to July 11.

The Senate president is also standing trial before the nation’s Code of Conduct Bureau, a quasi-judicial court which tries public officers for failure to declare their assets or irregularities in their declarations before taking office.

Some Nigerians view the trial of the Senate leaders as politically motivated though the presidency has repeatedly distanced itself. Both President Mohammadu Buhari and the Senate president are members of the ruling party while the deputy Senate president is of the opposition party.