The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Isa Hamma Misau (APC, Bauchi Central), said yesterday that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is looking beyond his case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), and working towards 2019. Reacting to a report entitled "Ndume, Adamu, Ekweremadu eye Saraki's seat", Misau said the CCT case was dead, and that Saraki was in firm control of the Senate, to the extent that he could not be edged out.

"Saraki's camp is very powerful and even if he is going, he will be the one to determine who succeeds him. We, in his camp, are not thinking of Saraki going, we are thinking of 2019 when he will emerge for the second time and consolidate on the legislative works he is doing. Our thinking is beyond this tenure because of his performance.

"His case at the CCT is political because even those who are with serious cases are moving freely around the country. Saraki's case is not embezzlement or misappropriation of funds. His is a case of under or over declaration of assets.

"As you know, it is an old case brought forward to pull him down. At what time did they realise that he committed this offence? He was at the Senate in 2011, without immunity, and they didn't come up with it. Why now when he is the Senate president? But whatever it may be, it is a dead issue," Misau said in a phone interview.

Saraki's case at the CCT is coming up tomorrow. He is standing a 13-count charge of false assets declaration while he was governor of Kwara State.