SGF, NIA boss: Fayose writes Osinbajo on panel report

By Rotimi Ojomoyela Ado-Ekiti

Ekiti state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has asked for the immediate release of the report of the investigative panel on corruption allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. David Babachir Lawal, and DirectorGeneral, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ayo Oke. Th e request was contained in a letter written by the Governor to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on July 11, 2017. In the letter, which was received at the Acting President’s offi ce on July 13, 2017, the governor also demanded that the Acting President must “act expeditiously on the report”, threatening to approach the law court to compel the Acting President to release and act on the report if he fails to do so.” Fayose, in statement issued yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, told the Acting President “never to harbour the view that the matter can swept under the carpet.” Th e latter read in part: “Let me begin by appreciating Your Excellency’s yeoman eff orts directed at quelling fi res all over the country and stabilising the polity.

As I have often said, the power of the people is greater than the power of those of us in power. In our own little corner, we, too, stand with you. And this being so, you can only succeed, and not fail! “Your Excellency, to prod your memory about a Presidential committee constituted months ago by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate allegations of high corruption against two top offi cials of this administration, namely the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. David Babachir Lawal; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mr. Ayo Oke. Th e Presidential committee, headed by your good self, was given two weeks to submit its report. Th at was many months ago.

Th e two top offi cials concerned were placed on suspension, but nothing has been heard on the matter ever since. It would appear the matter has been swept under the carpet or, in the Nigerian popular parlance, has been treated as the “family aff air” of the ruling APC government. “It will be most unfortunate indeed if this, truly, is the case. For one, the appropriate response to the very serious issue of corruption against the suspended SGF and the NIA DG should not have been the setting up of a committee to investigate; rather, both men should have been handed over the two men to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and arraignment in a court of competent jurisdiction. “I have refused to agree with those who, on account of your egregious stance on the EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu’s continued but illegal stay in offi ce; posit that the hood does not make the monk and a chain of titles and degrees does not translate to sound judgement. Kindly take up the challenge to prove those doubting Th omases wrong.

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