Osinbajo Panel Quizzes Suspended SGF For Three Hours
ABUJA – Suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, on Tuesday appeared before the three-man panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate financial improprieties leveled against him.
He arrived at the Presidential Villa, venue of the meeting at 1p.m and was ushered into the meeting room where the panel’s sitting is taking place.
The embattled SGF was suspended from President Muhammadu Buhari’s government Wednesday last week following allegations that over N200 million was embezzled by a company linked to him for cutting grass. The Senate Committee on Special Duties led by Senator Shehu Sani had uncovered the alleged fraud when it investigated financial dealings in the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE) also linked to the welfare of internally displaced persons in the zone.
Although Habibat Lawan has assumed office as acting SGF, it was reliably gathered that Lawal’s suspension was carried out by the presidency to mend fences with the National Assembly which had somehow pitted against the executive.
It would be recalled that the upper legislative chamber under Senator Bukola Saraki’s purview had stalled the confirmation of 23 resident electoral commissioners (REC) forwarded to them by the presidency following their grouse with the executive.
The Senate shortly before it embarked on the Easter break had also refused to confirm the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, over unsatisfactory reports submitted by the Department of State Services (DSS).
POSTED BY:OPUOMONI PRIYE
DATE:04/26/2017
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