Osinbajo: Buhari Has Ordered Prosecution Of Lawal, Oke

[Edoman]

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says it is expected that criminal allegations will be filed against Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation, following a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari that he should be prosecuted.

Lawal was sacked after a senate committee indicted him on misappropriating funds meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the north-east but he denied any wrongdoing.

Buhari had relinquished him and Ayo Oke, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), of their positions.Oke’s dismissal followed the discovery of $43 million at an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Osinbajo spoke when he honoured the invitation of The Christian Youths under the aegis of the GRILL, Ikeja branch.

He said the Buhari administration will not share public funds to friends and families, adding that the president deserved to be re-elected because of the way he had addressed grand corruption.

While answering questions from the audience on the former SGF, Osinbajo said Lawal and Oke were recommended for prosecution by the committee he chaired.I think the first thing for us is that the report was acted upon; the former SGF was dismissed,” he said.

“Secondly, the president has directed that the SGF and former DG of NIA should be prosecuted.So, we are expecting that prosecution will take place. The next of course is that criminal allegations will be filed against them and the prosecution process will be completed.”

He blamed corruption for the woes of the country, saying stealing is not taking place under this government.

“Corruption has had detrimental effects on Nigeria’s economy. This country was subjected to corruption for many years. Grand corruption perpetuated by previous governments is responsible for the state of the economy,” he said.

“Many of the projects in the country initiated by the previous government are not completed because of corruption. Grand corruption makes people start projects and never complete them.

“Grand corruption is when the head of government takes money from the treasury and shares it to the people.“You will never find people stealing from the public treasury under this administration.

“The same individuals who robbed this country are saying they want to come back and fix the problems.
We should ask them what they are going to do about grand corruption? How are you sure they are not going to enrich their friends with public funds.”

The vice president, however, called for more tolerance among Christians and Muslims in the country.

https://www.thecable.ng/osinbajo-we-expe...chir-lawal

[Edoman]

PDP To Buhari: Prosecute Other APC Leaders, Not Only Babachir Lawal


The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) charges President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and prosecute other leaders of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), who have been openly indicted of corruption.

The party says that singling out Babachir Lawal and Ayodele Oke, for prosecution, while providing official cover to numerous other indicted APC leaders and persons close to him, President Buhari has further confirmed that he is indeed partisan and insincere in prosecuting the anti-corruption fight.

Moreover, the fact that, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr. President had to give his nod before Babachir and Oke could be prosecuted, also goes to further confirm that President Buhari has annexed the system and directly determines who is prosecuted and who is spared.

The PDP therefore challenges President Buhari to immediately order the prosecution of all APC leaders, particularly members of his Presidential Campaign Council, beginning with the APC factional National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, the campaign Director-General, Rotimi Amaechi, other directors and zonal coordinators, who have allegations of corruption hanging on their necks.

Mr. President should also immediately order the prosecution of the former aide to the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, Mr. Baba Inna, who was arrested in September last year, over accusations of receiving N2.5 billion from politicians, businessmen and women on behalf of the First Lady.

In the same vein, he should also order the prosecution of Mrs. Amina Mohammed, who while being paraded by the Department of State Services (DSS), last year stated in public that persons close to President Buhari were involved in serial fraud and looting of public resources under the official cover of the Buhari Presidency.

President Buhari should also order an open inquest into alleged involvement of some individuals said to be close to the Buhari Presidency in the N1.032 trillion alleged corrupt acquisitions in 9Mobile and Keystone Bank PLC.

He is also invited to order an investigation into allegations that persons close to him and serving in his Presidency took N500 million as bribe to reduce the fine imposed on a telecommunication company operating in the country, from N1.03 trillion to N330 billion.

Furthermore, we challenge President Buhari to allow an inquest into the N14 trillion looted oil money under his watch, as detailed in the NNPC leaked memo; the handling of the repatriated $322m that has been siphoned under the guise of sharing to the poor; the N33 billion Internally Displace Persons (IDP) intervention fund and the billions of naira already frittered through the ‘Tradermoni scheme’.

Until Mr. President musters the required political will to carry out these actions, his war against corruption remains a charade.