Trending: Resign now and face prosecution, Senate tells SGF

Babachir David Lawal, Secretary to the Government of the Federation of Nigeria

The call by the Senate for Babachir Lawal, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), to resign and face prosecution for alleged fraud following his indictment by the Senate ad-hoc committee on mounting humanitarian crisis in the Northeast is generating a lot of reactions in the social media.

Many commentators are wondering why President Muhammadu Buhari who prides himself as an anti-graft crusader, is not doing anything about some of his aides accused of corruption.

According to the ad-hoc committee, chaired by Senator Shehu Sani, most of the contracts awarded by Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) have no direct impact on the lives of the displaced persons who are still languishing in a squalid condition, hunger, disease and other deplorable conditions in all IDPs camps.

The committee pointed out that such contract includes PINE contribution to two conferences on rebuilding the North East and the payment of N223m to Rholavision Engineering Limited for the removal of invasive plant species from komadugu, Yobe water channels.

Sani said Rholavision Engineering Limited, has Mr. Babachir Lawal, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), as Director.

“Although, Lawal resigned the directorship of the said company in September 2016, it is on record that he is a signatory to the accounts of the company,’’ he said.

Sani further said aside Lawal’s complicity, PINE – which carried out the entire procurement – inflated contracts and contravened public procurement act 2007 and federal government financial rules and regulation.

Sani called for the immediate resignation of the SSG (Babachir Lawal) and prosecution by relevant authorities.

Reacting to the Senate call for his resignation and prosecution, Lawal shortly before president Buhari presented his 2017 budget to the National Assembly on Wednesday said he was not consulted nor invited by the Senate committee during its investigation to give his own side of the story.

He described the report as an attempt to rubbish his name by political enemies.

Comments

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg

FG berates US congressman over comment

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture Photo: Femi Ipaye/PM News The Federal Government has described as sadly out of tune with reality the published letter from US Congressman Tom Marino to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking the US to withhold security assistance to Nigeria on the strength of some imaginary infraction by the Buhari Administration. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Congressman Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get first hand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before engaging in what is nothing but a ‘propaganda of his own imagination’. The Minister said by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman has demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues. ”Insecurity anywhere i

Aubameyang leads Gabon to Nations Cup

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the cast for Gabon as the hosts became the first team to name their final 2017 Africa Cup of Nations squad. The team captain and Borussia Dortmund star will lead the home players out for the opening game of the tournament against debutants Guinea-Bissau on 14 January in Libreville. Gabon have also named Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong despite the player being left out of November’s World Cup qualifier in Mali. Ndong was in the capital city Libreville but failed to turn up for international duty ahead of the Mali game last month, forcing the Gabonese Football Federation [Fegafoot] to send him back to England. But a remorseful Ndong, who held clear-the-air talks with Fegafoot has been included in a 23-man Panthers squad. Other names to make the final party include Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, Bruno Ecuélé Manga of Cardiff City and China-based striker Malick Evouna. Gabon coach José Antonio Camacho included three do

Global Naija Info

Search This Blog