Nigeria’s
topmost government official as well as the nation’s top spy master vacated
office shortly after they were suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari
yesterday.
Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, handed over to the
most senior Permanent Secretary in his office Alhaji Mohammed Bukar.
On
his part Mr. Ayo Oke, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency,
handed over to the most senior director in the agency whose name was not
revealed at press time.
Their
suspension was announced in a statement yesterday by presidential spokesman,
Femi Adesina.
Adesina
said the president ordered their suspension from office pending the outcome of
the investigation in two separate events.
Adesina
said the investigation would be conducted by a three-man committee chaired by
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The two other members are the Attorney-General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the National
Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno.
The presidential spokesman said the committee
is to submit its report to President Buhari within 14 days.
Lawal
was alleged to have inappropriately awarded millions of naira contracts to
companies in which he had interest under the Presidential Initiative on the
North East.
Oke’s trouble started a week ago after the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission seized N15 billion in a residential apartment
at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Oke
had claimed the money belonged to his agency and was approved by the former
president Goodluck Jonathan for some covert operation.
The
presidential spokesman said the investigation was to find out the circumstances
in which the NIA came into possession of the funds.
It
would also seek to discover how and by whose or which authority the funds were
made available to the NIA as well as to establish whether or not there has been
a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the
funds.
An
interim report by a Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Humanitarian Crisis in the
North-East indicted Lawal of sharp practice in expending the funds meant for
alleviating sufferings of Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East. The
Senate had demanded his resignation and prosecution.
Buhari,
in his reply to the Senate, after an investigation by the Attorney General of
the Federation Abubakar Malami, said Lawal was not given a fair hearing.
There
was a mild drama at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday
following Lawal and the NIA boss’ suspension.
Minutes
after his suspension, Lawal met behind closed-doors with Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo. Addressing State House reporters later, Lawal, feigned ignorance of his suspension.
The
following conversation ensued between Lawal and the journalists:
•Question:
Your suspension has just been announced. How will you react to the development?
Lawal:
Who announced it?
•
Question: The Presidency
Lawal:
Then ask them. Why are you asking me? Who is the Presidency?
•Question:
Have you been informed of the suspension?
Lawal:
By whom? About what? What about you? Have you been informed?
•
Question: Yes sir.
Lawal:
By whom?
•Journalists:
By the Presidency sir.
Lawal:
I have not seen it. I should have been given... I have not seen the press
release so I cannot comment on it.
•
Question: It is currently trending online. Are you doubting the authenticity of
the statement?
Lawal:
I have not seen it.
•
Question: Tell us the outcome of your meeting with the vice-president sir.
Lawal:
I am always here. I always meet the Vice-President. I used to come here even
before I was made SGF.
The
suspended NIA DG, Oke, betrayed emotions yesterday, fighting back tears when he
visited the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
His
attempts to gain access to Osinbajo and Buhari’s offices initially hit a brick
wall and he left the Villa.
But
about 30 minutes later, Oke resurfaced at the Presidential Villa and headed for
Osinbajo’s office for a closed-door meeting.
The
National Security Adviser (NSA) General Babagana Monguno also met the vice
president yesterday.
Senate
welcomes SGF’s suspension
Chairman
of the Senate ad-hoc Commitee on mounting humanitarian crisis in the North
East, Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna) has described the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Mr. Babachir David Lawal as a welcome development.
Sani’s
committee had in December last year indicted Lawal in a grass cutting contract
scandal worth N200m involving the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE).
The Senate in a unanimous resolution requested President Buhari to sack the
SGF.
Rather,
Buhari in letter to the Senate in January, said the Senators were unfair
to the SGF. The SGF issue is one of the
causes of the feud between the executive and the legislature.
Sani
in a statement said the suspension was commendable and that President
Buhari has taken the Senate Commitee
report and recommendations seriously.
“The
sword of truth is not just casted and sharpened for the neck of foes but also
for those of friends. Moral gallows is not just meant for a belligerent foe but
for a perfidious friend.
“Courage
is dispensing justice,greater courage is dispensing justice against our
emotions and temptation towards saving a friend. It’s easier to annihilate an
adversary for a heap wrong than
reprimand a friend for a mountain of wrong,”he said.
Sani
who chairs the Senate Commitee on local and foreign debt added that, “It’s
commendable for the President to heed the call to fumigate the throne of lice
and bugs with the same ability he goes after rodents afar.
“
The Senate and the Commitee have nothing personal against the SGF or any person
affected,but we simply did our job in conformity with our constitutional
responsibilities and the moral calling of our conscience.
“We
cannot jubilate because a mighty mortal is caught in the trap of his fate,we
are neither saints nor Angels, but we have a duty to raise a card or blow the whistle”.
Bukar
takes over from Babachir
The
Permanent Secretary General Services Office (GSO), Office of the Secretary to
the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Alhaji Muhammed Bukar has taken over
as the acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), officials
told Daily Trust last night.
This
follows yesterday’s suspension of Babachir David Lawal by President Muhammadu
Buhari over allegation of corruption in contract awards, at the Presidential
Initiative on the North East (PINE).
Officials
at the OSGF told Daily Trust yesterday that the SGF, who was in the office
yesterday morning before moving into the Presidential Villa, was caught
unawares by his suspension.
The
officials cannot be quoted as they were not authorized to speak on the matter
saying, “Mr Bukar has taken over as the acting SGF. He is the most senior of
the six Permanent Secretaries in the office (OSGF)…” one of the officials said
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