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Tag: Babachir David Lawal

  • Makarfi rejects Osinbajo panel, calls for independent probe of Lawal, Oke

    Makarfi rejects Osinbajo panel, calls for independent probe of Lawal, Oke

    The Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the probe panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the suspended duo of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Dr. Ayodele Oke.

    Instead, the PDP faction has called for an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the suspended officials.

    Lawal and Oke were on Wednesday suspended from office by President Buhari following the former’s involvement in alleged contract scam and the latter’s claim to ownership of hidden cash discovered in a private apartment in Lagos.

    Following their suspension, the President set up a three-man panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to probe the two public officials.

    The National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Mongunu and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, are members of the probe panel.

    While Lawal will be answering questions on a N230 million grass cutting contract he awarded to his company, Rholavision Engineering Limited, Oke will be grilled on his claim to the ownership of cash totaling about N13 billion in local and foreign currencies discovered in a private apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    But in a statement on Thursday by the spokesman of the Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Makarfi described the Osinbajo panel as “another ruse” to deceive Nigerians and dress up the “flailed” anti-corruption war in a new garb.

    Makarfi’s argument is hinged on the fact that the Presidency had earlier dismissed a Senate ad hoc committee’s report that indicted Lawal and which had called for his removal and prosecution.

    A report of investigation on Lawal, submitted by Malami had cleared the suspended SGF of wrongdoing in the contract scam, thereby rubbishing the Senator Shehu Sani report that indicted the SGF.

    The statement said, “Let Nigerians recall that the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria did set-up an ad-hoc Committee in 2016 headed by Senator Shehu Sani, a Senator representing Kaduna Central, to investigate the expenditures and activities of the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE), which Engr. Babachir in his capacity as the SGF was overseeing.

    “The Committee also investigated the alarming rate of humanitarian crisis in the North-East occasioned by the diversion of grains from the Strategic Grains Reserve and other food supplies meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in that region.

    “Consequently, the Senate ad-hoc Committee indicted the SGF, Engr. Lawal for the mismanagement of PINE funds and the award of multi-million Naira grass cutting contract to one of his companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and other ghost companies.”

    Expressing reservations about the inclusion of the AGF in the new probe panel, the party pointed out that it is an anomaly to include the same Malami that cleared Lawal in the Osinbajo panel.

     

     

  • Osinbajo meets Magu, DSS chief, IGP, others in Aso Rock

    Osinbajo meets Magu, DSS chief, IGP, others in Aso Rock

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday met with some top security officials and other highly placed officials at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting came 24 hours after the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, were suspended from office.

    Those at the meeting included the Director General of the Department for State Security (DSS), Lawal Daura, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

    Others are the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

    Adamawa State Governor, Jibrilla Bindow, was also reportedly sighted at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.

    It was not certain whether Bindow, who was seen by some staff, met with the vice president or the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba kyari.

    There were however speculations that the governor’s visit was not unconnected with the suspension of the SGF.

    Lawal is from Adamawa State.

    Magu, after meeting with the vice president, disclosed that he attended Assets Recovery Committee meeting.

  • Sagay, Olanipekun back suspensions

    Sagay, Olanipekun back suspensions

    Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) chairman Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) said yesterday that suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal violated the Code of Conduct for public officials by awarding a contract to a company he had an interest in.

    He said it was a violation of the Constitution and public trust, therefore Lawal’s suspension was unavoidable.

    “I think the suspensions are inevitable, and in my view they are a journey to total disengagement.

    “The SGF is a top member of the administration. He should have known that for him to award a contract to his own company is absolutely prohibited by the Code of Conduct and the Constitution. What he was doing was illegal and unconstitutional.

    “The worse is that he didn’t even award the contract for relevant activity such as for food, rather it was for grass cutting, which is totally unrelated to the needs of this people for very basic life saving materials.”

    On the suspension of the NIA DG, Sagay said: “This one is even worse in my view. How can you hold over $40million of state money in a private apartment, without the knowledge of the head of state to whom you’re responsible?

    “So they’ve turned themselves into a government of their own. They didn’t inform the present administration that they got this money from the Jonathan administration and this is what it was meant for and this is what is left.

    “Once they didn’t do that, then they were all on a criminal conduct which should lead to what has happened now. It’s very clear that they intended to convert it to their private use. That’s why I said everything is inevitable.”

    A former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) said the SGF should have resigned before being suspended.

    “It’s a welcome and reassuring development. That of the SGF is long overdue anyway. As for the DG of the NIA, he should be afforded the full opportunity of his right to fair hearing by the panel headed by the Vice President.”

    Activist-lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome said (SAN) urged the President not to spare any member of the administration accused of corruption.

    “The chicken is finally coming home to roost. I congratulate the President  on this move, even if belated. But there are still more tons of petitions existing against some serving ministers and other key figures of this government, pending before the anti-graft agencies, but which have so been carefully swept under the carpet.out, or accountability of, recovered  monies and attached properties, corruption today literally walks, not just on all fours, but even on its head and buttocks. Let the music play on. Let the real anti corruption fight begin,” Ozekhome said.

    Others who spoke include Mallam Yusuf Alli (SAN), Prof Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), constitutional lawyer Ike Ofuokwu, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) First Vice President Mr Monday Ubani and NBA Lagos Branch Chairman Martin Ogunleye.

    On the SGF’s suspension, Ali said: “All discerning Nigerians saw it coming. With the indictment of the SGF by the Senate Committee on IDPs, not only was the allegation that he was still running a company as SGF made, it was also alleged that he collected so much money on behalf of the company for grass cutting in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

    “Given the sensitive nature of the IDPs’ situation, it raised a lot of moral issues. Many Nigerians had been expecting this to happen longer than now. But it doesn’t matter. At least the president listened to the voice of Nigerians. I think it’s salutary.“

    Prof Akinseye-George said it was proper that government officials step aside while allegations of corruption against them are being investigated.

    “There have been too many complaints about the SGF in particular, and he has become more of a liability to the administration.”

    Akinseye-George said the NIA DG’s suspension was also in order, adding that people whose credibility is questioned should not wait to be suspended.

    Ofuokwu said with the suspensions, the president has proved that he is in charge and that no official is untouchable.

    His words: “To have done otherwise is to carry a moral burden which puts a big question mark on the integrity of the President and on his fight against corruption. Though they are yet to be proven guilty by any court or judicial body of competent jurisdiction, their suspension is a perfect step in the right direction.

    To Ogunleye, there is the need to imbibe a culture of transparency in governance, even in matters that concern the President’s close associates.

    He said the ideal scenario would have been for the officials to offer to step aside pending the conclusion of investigation.

  • Yoruba forum hail suspension of NIA DG, SGF

    Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), an umbrella body of all Yoruba organizations, has hailed the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Dr. Ayodele Oke, saying it was a right step taken by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    YUF said the suspension of Lawal and Oke would give room for thorough probe of corruption allegations against them.

    The Forum stated this during its executive meeting held in Ikenne, Ogun State, home of the Awolowos on Wednesday.

    The Vice-chairman of the organization, Arch Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, lauded the President’s bold step, saying the action would restore Nigerians’ confidence in the administration’s desire to fight corruption.

    He said: “This is a government that is committed to transparency and honesty and a government that has made the fight against corruption one of its pillars. I believe this is a decision in the right direction.

    “It is a breath of fresh air for Nigerians and of course suspension means suspension which creates room for thorough investigation. We will await the outcome of the investigations but certainly I believe what the President has done is what a leader committed to fighting corruption should do, we commend him.”

    In attendance at the meeting were Senator Femi Okurounmu, Senator Anthony Adefuye, Dr. Kunle Olajide, the co-chairman of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo – Dosumu, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola  Bucknor-Akerele, Mr. Tokunbo Ajasin and Princess Adebisi Sangodoyin, among others.

     

     

  • SGF, NIA chief’s suspension an afterthought – Fayose

    SGF, NIA chief’s suspension an afterthought – Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has described the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal and Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, as an “afterthought and a prelude to the official cover-up of the N13 billion cash found in a residential apartment in Lagos.

    Fayose slammed the Federal Government for setting up a three-man committee to investigate the crime and sidelining the anti-corruption agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Department of State Services (DSS).

    The governor wondered why the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Administration unleashed EFCC and DSS on opposition figures and judges under investigation while setting up a committee to investigate its officials accused of corruption.

    Accusing the Buhari government of becoming an embarrassment to Nigerians with what he called the macabre dance of shame, Fayose alleged that the President is fast losing control of his administration, accusing it of hypocrisy in its fight against corruption.

    He wondered why the same President that wrote a letter to the Senate exonerating Lawal and clearing him of any wrongdoing now came back to suspend him from office over alleged involvement in the Presidential Initiative for the North East grass cutting scam.

    In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said: “Would the President have set up a probe panel if these scams were linked to anyone in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or those members of his party that are not in his good books?

    “Most importantly, what business does Presidential Committee have with investigation of crime? Are they telling Nigerians that they have lost confidence in all the intelligence and investigative agencies of the government, including the EFCC and DSS?

    “The Buhari-led Federal Government is operating like many governments within one government. There appears to be many Presidencies within the Presidency and this is the reason for the confusion everywhere.”

    “Nigerians can no longer be deceived by a government that protects its own people whenever they are accused of corruption while setting the DSS and EFCC to invade houses of members of opposition parties, especially those perceived as having presidential ambition in 2019 in the night to arrest and detain them indefinitely even when corruption allegations against them have not been proved.”

    “Did the President not write a letter dated January 17, 2017, to the Senate, exonerating the SGF? So what has changed in the case of the SGF? Was his announced suspension just for balancing?

    “Why waiting for this messy OsborneGate to act on the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) grass-cutting scam? Could it have been a case of one Presidency (Buhari) writing the Senate on January 17, 2017 to clear the SGF and another Presidency suspending him today?

    “Whichever way one looks at it, it gives no other impression than that of confusion in the government.”

    “Is their presidential committee also going to tell Nigerians those who abandoned N49 million cash in an airport that has CCTV cameras? What the owner of the N448 million the EFCC said it found in a shop at LEGICO Shopping Plaza, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos?

    “In all these, what I see is a government trying frantically to cover-up corrupt acts of its functionaries but like I said before now, even though we know that the APC-led federal government has the capacity to sweep it under the carpet like many others before it, Nigerians will have it on record that they are being ruled by a government of the more you look, the less you see.”

     

     

  • Osinbajo, SGF in closed door meeting 

    Osinbajo, SGF in closed door meeting 

    Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday afternoon held closed door meeting with the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal.

    The meeting started few minutes after the official statement announcing his suspension.

    Osinbajo had been named as Chairman of the committee to investigate the allegations against him.

  • SGF denies awarding contracts

    SGF denies awarding contracts

    •Says all contract went through due process

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal has denied awarding contracts from his office.

    All contracts being awarded, according to him, go through official process.

    The Director (Press) in the Office of the SGF, Bolaji Adebiyi, said in a statement in Abuja that newspaper reports suggesting that his office awarded contracts to ghost firms were way off course.

    He said:”First of all, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation observes that the headlines are at complete variance with the body of the story.  “Indeed, in the body of the story, Senator Shehu Sani made it clear to the reporters when he said ‘Meanwhile, you should understand that we are not investigating the SGF alone.  We are investigating contracts that were awarded under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).  The implication is that PINE is really the body to answer all enquiries regarding the contract awards. Not the SGF.’

    “To the real and more important issue, the general public should not be misled into the belief that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has the authority or power to award contracts.

    “This, indeed, is not the case.  As with all awards of contract in government, the PINE projects under investigation went through what is referred to as due process in public expenditure.

    “The contracts were awarded only after the requisite clearances were obtained from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).  It is expected that these clearances are obtained only when all conditions precedent to the awards of contracts are met.  Apart from the BPP huddle, the Tenders Board of the procuring agencies, in this instance, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has to approve of the contracts before they are awarded.  At no time were these processes compromised in the award of contracts by PINE.”

    He also emphasized that the SGF is not even a member of the Tenders Board.

    He urged the media to be mindful of the structure of government, the powers of functionaries and the stringent processes and procedures that go into public sector expenditure in order to be fair in their reports.

    “The SGF despite his position in government cannot award contracts.  He is not even a member of the Tenders Board.  All contracts must, indeed, pass the acid test of obtaining clearance from the Bureau of Public Procurement and the scrutiny of the Tenders Board.

    “PINE contracts were awarded following strict compliance with public expenditure and procurement processes.  It will interest everyone to know too, that all PINE projects were properly and satisfactorily executed.  The beneficiaries have continued to express their appreciation to the Federal Government for PINE intervention, that in many cases, has accelerated the return of normalcy to hitherto ravaged communities.” he said

  • SGF denies awarding contracts

    SGF denies awarding contracts

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David- Lawal, on Friday denied awarding contracts from his office.

    According to him, all awarded contracts go through official processes.

    Lawal, according to a statement issued by the Director (Press), Office of the SGF, Bolaji Adebiyi, was reacting to media reports.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been drawn to the front page screaming headlines of The Nation and Punch newspapers of today, Friday, March 24, 2017 captioned ‘SGF to Explain how fake firms got N1.3 billion Contracts’ and ‘Grass Cutting Probe, Contracts awarded to 20 Ghost Firms – Senate Panel,’ respectively.

    “First of all, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation observes that the headlines are at complete variance with the body of the story.  Indeed, in the body of the story, Senator Shehu Sani made it clear to the reporters when he said ‘Meanwhile, you should understand that we are not investigating the SGF alone.  We are investigating contracts that were awarded under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).  The implication is that PINE is really the body to answer all enquiries regarding the contract awards. Not the SGF.

    “To the real and more important issue, the general public should not be misled into the believe that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has the authority or power to award contracts.  This, indeed, is not the case.  As with all awards of contract in government, the PINE projects under investigation, went through what is referred to as due process in public expenditure.

    “The contracts were awarded only after the requisite clearances were obtained from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).  It is expected that these clearances are obtained only when all conditions precedent to the awards of contracts are met.

    “Apart from the BPP huddle, the Tenders Board of the procuring agencies, in this instance, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has to approve of the contracts before they are awarded.  At no time were these processes compromised in the award of contracts by PINE.”

    He also emphasized that the SGF is not even a member of the Tenders Board.

    He urged the media to be mindful of the structure of government, the powers of functionaries and the stringent processes and procedures that go into public sector expenditure in order to be fair in their reports.

     

  • Breaking: SGF makes U-turn, asks Senate to reschedule invitation

    Breaking: SGF makes U-turn, asks Senate to reschedule invitation

    Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) , Babachir David Lawal on Thursday asked the Senate Committee probing the use of Funds for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) to reschedule the  date for him to appear.

    On Wednesday, Lawal wrote Chairman of the Committee, Senator Shehu Sanni saying he would not would not appear because he has gone to court to challenge his invitation .

    However in  another letter to the Committee dated March 22, 2017, the SGF said he would not be able to honour the invitation “primarily because of a pressing engagement of government which clashed with the date and time of the hearing.”

    More details soon

  • SGF declines Senate’s invitation, goes to court

    SGF declines Senate’s invitation, goes to court

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David- Lawal, on Wednesday informed the Senate that he will not appear before the committee probing his alleged involvement in the diversion of funds for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East.

    The SGF was invited by the Senate ad-hoc Committee investigating the Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East to appear before it on Thursday.

    At its sitting on October 4, 2016, the Senate debated a motion “Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East,” and a committee was constituted to investigate the matter.

    The committee was asked to conduct a public hearing on the matter in order to ascertain how much has been released to the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).

    It was also to ascertain how the funds have been utilized from inception as well as to investigate the alleged diversion of grains and other food items from the strategic grain reserves, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other sources of support for the IDPs.

    The committee held a three- day public hearing between December 6 and 8 last year.

    Some invited stakeholders reportedly refused to attend the hearing.

    The SGF, who was specifically indicted by the committee in its interim report, claimed that he was not given a fair hearing on the matter.

    Lawal was alleged to have misapplied billions of naira meant for the care of displaced persons in the North East.

    The report also said Lawal compromised his position by allegedly awarding contracts to a company he had interest in.

    Due to the perceived lack of fair hearing, the Senate mandated the ad-hoc committee to re-invite those involved in the matter.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Shehu Sani, in a statement said “in order to give them (stakeholders) a fair hearing, the committee has resolved to conduct another public hearing on the matter.”

    Senator Sani’s letter to the SGF to appear before the committee was dated March 15.

    But Lawal in a letter titled: “Letter of invitation” and addressed to Senator Sani told the lawmaker that he would not appear before the committee because he had gone to court to challenge his invitation.

    The Lawal’s letter obtained by our reporter read in part, “Dear Distinguished Senator Shehu Sani,

    “Your letter of invitation to appear before the above committee refers.

    “I wish to kindly request that you draw the attention of other members of the committee that I will not be able to appear before the committee primarily because I have gone to court to challenge the invitation among others.

    “Please find attached the court documents.

    Please accept my highest regards.

    “Engr, Babachir David Lawal.”