TheNation has revealed that Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari was waiting and expecting his appointees, precisely Lawal Babachir to resign of his own accord, rather than be fired.
According to the newspaper, the president got tired of carrying his sin and finally acted.
It is recalled that Lawal Babachir was indicted of gross corruption, looting of millions of dollars money meant for victims of Boko Haram, since December 2016. The president then reportedly exonerated him in a suspicious letter to the senate sent when Buhari was ill. Finally, four months later, Buhari suspended his Secretary General, along with the Nigerian intelligence boss.
Several other members of Buhari’s government have been indicted of corruption. These include, Minister of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazzau, allegedly indicted in the Arms probe; chief of Army staff, Tukur Buratai, also implicated in the Arms procurement diversion probe and exposed to have millions of dollars property in Dubai and elsewhere. Also indicted are Chief of staff, Abba Kyari, accused of receiving bribed=s form a telecom giant and of corrupt oil dealings. It is not known if the president is expecting these officers also to resign of their own accord rather than having those needful of being arrested, arrested.
Sources told The Nation that Buhari’s instruction to the Osinbajo Committee is straight forward.
“The President directed that there should be no cover up for anybody no matter how highly placed. He said there will be no soft landing for the suspended officials or any official or anyone closer to him who is involved,” a highly placed source said.
“And Buhari demonstrated this on Wednesday when the affected officials were suspended. Before the announcement was made, SGF Babachir Lawal earlier wanted to see him but he sent a message to him to go and see the Vice President.
“As a matter of fact, he had expected that one of the two suspended officials would have resigned given overwhelming public opprobrium on the allegations against him but he refused. “The President then decided that he cannot be bearing the burden of anyone.
“So, this committee is not the Kangaroo type or a soft landing panel to save anybody.”
