SOME members
of the House of Representatives yesterday commended President Muhammadu Buhari
for the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, SGF,
Mr. David Babachir Lawal over the allegation of corruption in the award of
contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East, PINE, and the
Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke,
over the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies in a
residential apartment at Osborne a Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
According to Vanguardngr, the lawmakers
said it was an indication that there was no sacred cow in the fight against
corruption, but they also advised the President to extend such suspension to
the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim
Magu and serving ministers that have been accused of corruption. In his
reaction to the suspension, the member representing Ivo/Ohazara/Onicha Federal
Constituency of Ebonyi State, Linus Okorie, told the president to summon the
same political will in suspending the EFCC Chairman, Magu.
He said, “I think
that it is always better late than be late in all matters including
administration problem. It has long been established that Mr. President should
have taken strong action if he had any intention to strengthen the fight
against corruption the way we were told it should be.
“The suspension of the
SGF is based on the numerous report and investigation that the senate conducted
which pointed to the fact of obvious indictment in the north east fund. Now
that he has come out to suspend him and also suspend the DG of NIA who also has
a lot of explanations to make with the issue of Ikoyi towers fund. “One is so
hoping that the matter of EFCC will also get his immediate attention because
irrespective of what we do if Nigerian confidence is not built in the
institution of EFCC as the purveyor and chief prosecutor of the anti-corruption
campaign, we will still be failing in that regard. “It does not matter whether
Magu is corrupt or not but the notion out there is that he has questions to
answer. “I am calling on Mr. President to promptly also direct that Ibrahim
Magu also goes on suspension so that the same investigations that he ordered
into these two can also be conducted and if at the end of the day you find him
not wanting in any regard, then he comes back to his job. “So, I commend Mr.
President for this action even though belated, but I also call on him to summon
the necessary political will to also do the same thing with respect to Magu,
with respect to all the ministers that have also been so fingered in this
allegations of corruption in that regard. “And when that is done, Nigerians
will find more confidence in the declared war against corruption and be sure
that it is not just focused on the opposition and the former elements of the
past government.” Chike Okafor In his own reaction, House Committee Chairman on
Health Services, Rep Chike John Okafor, said the suspension showed that there
was no sacred cow. According to Okafor, “In the first instance, the
appointments and positions that they occupied was at the prerogative of the
president, so the president has the right to hire and fire, so he exercised
that constitutional right.
“The second aspect of the suspension which bothers
on corruption and investigation. For instance the SGF is based on investigation
and the NIA has to do with the money discovered in the apartment in Ikoyi. “Mr.
President is suspending them and setting up a committee to investigate them,
that tells you the President’s commitment to fighting corruption.
Those who are
complaining hitherto that the fight against corruption is selective and only
the opposition people that are being hounded, they can now shut their mouths
up. “If the Secretary to the government of the Federation and the DG NIA can be
suspended on corrupt related matters, that tells you that there are no sacred
cows as far as the president’s commitment on corruption is concerned. “In this
regard, the president has shown his uncompromising commitment to fight
corruption. It is a welcome development. That should send shiver down the spine
of every other person, every other Nigerian, every other political office holder
who may want to engage or involve himself on corrupt practices that there is no
sacred cow.
“And nominating the Vice President to chair the committee and give
them 14 days to carry out the assignment, that underscores the high level
commitment. Of course we all know how impeccable the Vice President is which
means the President wants to know the truth of the situation.”
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