We stand by the report which indicted SGF, says senate

Abdullahi Sabi, spokesman of the senate, says the upper legislative chamber stands by the report which indicted Babachir Lawal, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), of corruption.

An ad hoc committee of the senate investigating the humanitarian crisis in the north-east had accused Lawal of receiving N200 million for the clearing of invasive plant species in Yobe state.‎

Following this allegation, the senators called for the immediate sack of Lawal.

But President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the recommendation, saying the committee did not give Lawal fair hearing.

However, when he appeared on a Channels TV programme on Wednesday, Sabi said Lawal was duly invited to appear before the committee but he turned it down and sent a representative instead.

“The report which we based out decision on is an interim report which means that there will still be a final report,” he said.

“Now, the chairman of that ad hoc committee has told the senate and by implication Nigerians that in the next couple of days that report will be finalised.

“Absolutely, the senate stands by the Interim report, we still stand by the interim report because we follow legislative processes.

“The chairman, Shehu Sani has made it clear that we will have rather more additional issues raised in the final report and not much, if any will actually change in respect of the interim report. Nothing has been provided to change what they said in the interim report.

“The question of fair hearing by our procedures – every public hearing that we do is advertised. There was an advertisement and all the stakeholders were expecting to appear before that committee.

“The SGF was formally invited, there was a letter where the permanent secretary in the SGF stated that they have sent a representative who swore on oath that he is competent to answer all questions raised.

“If you delegate and the person you delegated is incompetent, I think you should hold yourself responsible for whatever comes out competency. I don’t think that is something that should be passed on to the senate.

“When you are summoned to appear before the national assembly and you claim that you are busy, then what are we doing? Are we deepening the democratic process in Nigeria? Or we are trying to create some super human beings?

“Also the house of reps said they also had a similar intervention where they invited him and he didn’t appear.”