By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA – THE National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, yesterday supported the resolution of the senate calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to relieve the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, David Babachir Lawal of his position over allegation bordering on corruption.

NYCN in a statement in Abuja said that either President Buhari should order for the arrest of the SGF or stop the ongoing war against corruption in the country.

The statement signed by the National President of NYCN, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere commended the President on the war against corruption and advised government institutions to identify with the corruption fight in the country.

Ugochinyere said, “And as partners in the anti-corruption crusade, the council urges all government institutions, groups or individual that are yet to fully identify with this program to do so as to compliment the President’s resolve.

“And in doing so, we believe there should be no sacred cow .
We therefore throw our full weight behind the senate on its resolution on Wednesday asking President Buhari to sack and prosecute the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal over his alleged complicity in the misappropriation of funds donated to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East.

“We salute the courage of the senate and urge President Buhari to urgently implement the resolution of the senate to serve as a deterant to other government officials who may still want to feast on public funds. Enough is enough.

“The Council sees the senate resolution as another acid test for our Dear President and other anti graft agencies in the fight against this menace. We urge the SGF to honourably resign his job, any delay in his resignation may cast doubt in the anti corruption war of the federal government.

“The world would want to see how the President handles the alleged involvement of the SGF and others in the reported diversion of public funds. The immediate arrest and prosecution of the SGF is not negotiable. The SGF’s case is the true test of the commitment of the Govt to fight corruption.

“Just like the arrested judges were forced to stop sitting, the world and Nigerians expect the president to have forced the SGF out and commence his prosecution to save the image of the administration. If the SGF cannot be prosecuted after his alleged crime against humanity, then there is no need for the war against corruption.

“The Council will in support of the senate’s decision stage a protest match soon in Abuja to demand for the immediate sack of the SGF. We make bold to say that Mr. Lawal and any other person so indicted by the Senate in the alleged scam is not above the laws of the land.”

Recall that the senate had in a session on Wednesday asked for the immediate resignation and prosecution of the SGF for his alleged involvement in the multi-million naira IDP contract scam. The resolution followed the adoption of the interim report of its Adhoc committee on humanitarian crisis in the North East.

Presenting the report, Sani disclosed that “the committee discovered that all contracts from the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE) were awarded under the principle of emergency situation as stipulated in Section 43 (i) & (ii) but with absolute disregard to subsection (iii) & (iv) of the same Section 43 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.”

Sani told the Senate that “the entire procurement activities carried out by the PINE contravened the Federal Government’s Financial Rules and Regulations number 2948.’’

The committee quoted the rules as saying that “under emergency situation, a procuring entity may engage in direct or single source procurement of goods, works, or services; that further to sub-section (i), procurement shall be made expeditiously, without losing sight of the principles of accountability and transparency; and that on cessation of emergency situation warranting procurement under this method, the procuring entity shall file records of procurement proceeding with a view to obtaining Certificate of ‘No Objection’ if necessary from Bureau of Public Procurement.”

“Contracts were awarded to companies belonging to top government officials’ cronies, family members and close associates. For example, Rholavision Engineering Limited incorporated in 1990 with RC No. 159855 at the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja to carry out information and communication technology services, anchored by Babachir Lawal, the current Secretary to the Government of the Federation was awarded consultancy contract for the removal of the invasive plant species in Yobe State on 8th March, 2016. Although, Babachir resigned the directorship of the said company in September 2016, it is on record that he is still the signatory to accounts of the company.”