Nigeria’s Supreme Court on Friday cleared the country’s Senate leader of all corruption charges, ending a long-running legal battle that he criticised as politically motivated.

Bukola Saraki had been on trial for three years on charges of false declaration of assets during his time as the governor of Kwara state between 2003 and 2011.

An ethics tribunal last June declared he had no case to answer but Nigeria’s main anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, challenged the ruling.

The court of appeal then ordered Saraki to be tried again on three of 18 charges.