Babachir David Lawal
The suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal has been summoned to appear before the Senate ad hoc committee that investigated the N200 million contract scandal for which he was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari. He is slated to appear before the panel at 10am.
He is expected to be grilled over his alleged role in the mismanagement of funds earmarked for the rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in the North East.
The Senate had indicted Mr. Lawal in an interim report submitted by the Senator Shehu Sani led committee for breaching relevant provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
The embattled SGF, who is currently being investigated by a presidential panel, is being accused of breaking Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations on the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on North-East (PINE).
After spurning invitation by the senate panel on two occasions, Lawal was invited again in fulfillment of the principle of fair hearing, which he complained was not extended to him by the Senate panel.
The invitation letter to Babachir which was signed by the clerk to the adhoc committee, Mr. Barau Bungudu, asked the suspended SGF to appear for fresh hearing.
The letter read in part, “You may recall that the Ad-hoc Committee had invited you to appear before it for the second time on Wednesday, 15th March, 2017.
“The Committee has granted your request conveyed in your letter dated 22nd March, 2017, and re-scheduled the meeting.
“By this letter, I am directed to formally invite you to appear before the Committee on Thursday, 27th April, 2017“.
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