The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has insisted that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr Babachir Lawal, must be sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari for engaging in alleged corrupt practices.
He told the President that the world was watching him on how he would handle the Senate’s resolution on Wednesday, which called for the sack of Lawal, for allegedly soiling his hands in corrupt practices.
The Senate resolved to probe Lawal’s alleged railings against its decision that he be sacked by the President for allegedly contravening the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations on the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on North-East.
Speaking during the day’s plenary, Saraki wondered why an appointee of the President would be rude to the Upper Legislative Chamber at a time Buhari was seeking the hand of the legislature in fellowship in the interest of national development.
He went on to state that the ongoing war against corruption in the country by President Buhari must not have limit if the country must be put on path of sanity.
“The President (Buhari) came here yesterday (Wednesday) humbly telling us that he seeks our partnership. Then how can his Secretary (to the Government of the Federation) said we are talking rubbish,” he said.
Speaking further on the matter, Saraki said: “The issue here is very serious because it borders on the integrity of this institution. Matters as serious as this should never be personalised.
“Yesterday, when we heard the president, the number one citizen of this country humbly telling us he is seeking cooperation of the National Assembly, and how can his Secretary tell us we are talking rubbish.
“The two conversations are not on the same page. We must protect this institution and it is not the kind of language and it is out of order if somebody has been accused of something, the way we should respond, and for him to say we are speaking rubbish, I think he is personalising the issues.”
While describing as unbecoming of a public officer of the SGF’s status, who according to the Senate, has been notorious for such outbursts in public, the upper chamber ordered its Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions to investigate the derogatory comments against the institution of the Senate credited to the embattled SGF.
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