On Thursday 15th December 2016, the Senate restated its commitment to investigate Babachir David Lawal, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) over his alleged involvement in awarding contracts of the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) to a company belonging to him.
Raising a point of order, Sen. Dino Melaye (APC:Kogi) stated that the SGF following the Senate’s call for his resignation and prosecution had made certain offensive statements in National dailies, the African Independent Television (AIT) and the British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa (BBC) which alluded that the Senate was making false claims.
Sen. Dino Melaye noted that the Senate had been disparaged by the language used by the SGF and recommended that a resolution on the matter should be sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for further action. He also tendered three documents before the Senate as evidence to prove that the SGF had indeed committed the acts he was alleged of. The documents include:
- A Certified True Copy of Form CO7 certified by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) showing the name and signature of the SGF;
- A Certified True Copy of a letter written by the company secretary dated 5th October 2016; and,
- A Certified True Copy of a letter written by the SGF on the relinquishment of shares dated 16th September 2016.
Speaking on the matter, Sen. Bala Ibn Na’allah (APC:Kebbi) was of the view that the SGF lacked the requisite capacity and competence to manage the office he occupies. However, Senate President, Bukola Saraki (APC:Kwara) urged that issues of such nature should not be personalized and called on the Adhoc Committee on ‘‘Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East’’ to continue its investigation of the SGF. He also stated that the Senate would forward to President Buhari, the Committee’s report along with its resolution and other supporting documents for necessary action.
