Osinbajo panel demands Senate interim report on SGF

VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo-led committee investigating  allegations of due process violation in award of contracts under Presidential Initiatives on North East (PINE) has requested the Senate to furnish it with relevant documents on the matter.

Chairman, ad hoc committee on mounting humanitarian crisis in the North-East, Senator Shehu Sani, confirmed receipt of a letter on the issue, in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday.

He said Osinbajo, in a letter dated April 21, requested the ad hoc committee’s report on the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.

According to him, the vice president stated in the letter that the committee required documents from the Senate for appropriate consideration.

“I confirm that we got the letter and we will provide the documents to the committee,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Senate ad hoc committee has asked Lawal to appear before it on April 27 by 10.00 a.m.

Sani, who also confirmed this, said a letter had been written to Lawal, requesting him to attend a rescheduled public hearing on the allegations.

The committee had invited Lawal to appear before it for a second time on March 15.

However, Lawal, in a letter dated March 22, requested for a rescheduling of the meeting to a more appropriate time.

A letter signed by the clerk of the ad hoc committee, Lawal Barau, dated April 26, 2017, indicated that the suspended SGF had been summoned to appear before the Senate today.

“You may recall that the ad hoc committee had invited you to appear before it for the second time on Wednesday, March 15, 2017.

“The committee has granted your request conveyed in your letter dated March 22, 2017 and re-scheduled the meeting.

“By this letter, I am directed to formally invite you to appear before the committee on Thursday, April 27, 2017,” the letter read.

It also indicated that the meeting was scheduled to hold at

Room 117 of the New Senate building.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, said it had commenced investigation into the mystery surrounding the N13 billion discovered in residential apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Chairman, House Committee on National Intelligence, Honourable Sani Jaji, informed the House that the committee had already commenced investigation into the allegation raised in connection with the discovery.

This followed a motion moved by a member, Honourable Babatunde Kolawole, where he called for investigation into source of the N13 billion discovered by the EFCC.

The lawmaker had argued that the call to unravel the true identity of the owner of the money was based on claims and counter-claims as to the true ownership of the funds.

He added that the development was having negative effects on the anti-corruption drive of the Federal Government.

According to him, “there is the need for thorough investigation into the matter, in order to ascertain the source of the money, given the claims on its ownership, purpose and the damaging effects it is having on the Federal Government’s anti-corruption drive.”

It will be recalled that the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayodele Oke, had claimed that the money belonged to the agency and was approved by the previous administration for covert operation.

Based on the information provided by the chairman, Committee on National Intelligence, the House, through amendment to the motion by Honourable Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, said the Committee on National Security should continue to investigate the matter, instead of setting up an ad hoc committee.

The motion scaled through when it was put to vote by the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara.