In a report by The Punch, the lawmaker's notice of appeal was filed on December 27, 2017 and contains four grounds on which he objects to the December 12, 2017 ruling of the Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson-led tribunal.

He also reportedly compiled the records of the Court of Appeal and transmitted them to the Supreme Court for the validation of his appeal, arguing that the CCT's previous vindication of him is the correct judgement.

Saraki's lawyer, Paul Usoro (SAN), confirmed filing of the appeal on Monday, January 8, 2018, and revealed that additional grounds of appeal will be filed before the end of the week.

He said, "I can confirm that we have filed our notice of appeal. The notice of appeal has four grounds. But we are going to file another notice of appeal of additional three grounds before the end of the week.

"The law permits us to file additional grounds of appeal."

He also told Premium Times, "Essentially, we are asking the Supreme Court to declare the earlier ruling of the Tribunal as valid."

The appeal panel had ruled that the prosecution was able to establish a prima facie case against Saraki in three of the 18 charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2015.

Saraki's 'crimes'

If he resumes the trial at the CCT, the Senate President will enter defence for counts 4, 5 and 6 in relation to his alleged failure to declare some assets.

In Count 4,  he was accused of making false assets declaration at the end of his tenure as Executive Governor of Kwara State in 2011 and on assumption of office as a Senator in 2011 in respect of a property at 17A McDonald, Ikoyi, Lagos.

In Count 5, the prosecution accused Saraki of making false asset declaration at the end of his tenure as Executive Governor of Kwara State in 2011 and on assumption of office as a Senator in 2011 when he declared that he acquired No. 17B McDonald, Ikoyi, Lagos, on September 6, 2006 from proceeds of sale of rice and sugar.

In Count 6, the prosecution also accused the Senate President of making a false declaration in his Assets Declaration Form at the end of his tenure as Governor of Kwara State in 2007 and on assumption of office as Executive Governor in 2007 by failing to declare his outstanding loan liabilities of N315,054,355.92 out of the loan of N380,000,000 obtained from the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc.

Saraki's previous trial

Saraki had been charged by the EFCC  in 2015 for false assets declaration when he was Kwara state governor.

The Senate President was cleared of all charges by the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal citing the prosecution's failure to prove the allegations.

FG's appeal

The Federal Government filed the 11 grounds notice of appeal after the tribunal dismissed the government's case against the former governor on June 14, 2017.

The notice of appeal considered the acquittal as an overruling of previous decisions by the Court of Appeal in respect to the Senate President's trial, calling it, "unwarranted, unreasonable and against the weight of evidence".

The notice was signed by lead prosecuting counsel Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), and an Assistant Chief State Counsel in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Pius Akutah who said the tribunal's decision was wrong in its consideration of the case.

In his response to the appeal on June 23, 2017, Saraki had expressed confidence that the verdict at the appellate court would not be different from that of the tribunal as "the grounds on which the decision of the CCT was based remain unassailable."