A former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has urged the embattled Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, to resign his position without further delay, following his indictment by the Senate over alleged misappropriation of funds earmarked for the Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East.
Ezeife said that the SGF should not wait to be officially sacked from office if the allegation leveled against him by the lawmakers was true.
The former governor stated this while speaking with our correspondent on the Senate’s demand for the sack and prosecution of the SGF over the alleged fraud.
The Senate had on Tuesday asked the SGF to resign his appointment for alleged misappropriation of funds earmarked for the IDPs in the North-East.
The Senate had also called on the Attorney General of the Federation to immediately commence the prosecution of the SGF, who the lawmakers also accused of abusing his office over the award of contracts in respect of the North East humanitarian crisis.
But according to the former Anambra governor, an official of the caliber of the SGF should not continue to remain a part of an administration that had made the anti-corruption war one its major focus.
Ezeife argued that retaining the SGF in government would make the President Muhammadu Buhari administration unpopular.
He said, “Though I do not know the circumstances and the truth about the allegation made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, but if investigation finally revealed that he’s guilty, then he should not wait to be told to resign. Personalities like that, if found guilty, will only indict this ongoing government, which has made anti-graft war its priority since it came into office.”
Also reacting to the development, the National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Congress and presidential candidate of the Young Democratic Party in the 2015 general elections, Alhaji Shettima Yerima, described the allegation against the SGF as weighty and a disgraceful one.
Yerima said although the Senate had not discharge itself equitably before Nigerians, this latest motion showed that they had been listening to the people.
“It is disheartening that a government that prides itself on fighting corruption is now peopled by corrupt elements. It is hoped that President Muhammadu Buhari will purge himself and his administration of these corrupt elements that surround him before they rubbish his administration’s anti-corruption fight.
“Unless urgent and drastic steps are taken, this development with turn us once again into laughing stock before the entire world. The SGF should just honourably resign, if he still has any modicum of shame left in him.”
But a former lawmaker from Ekiti State, Abimbola Daramola, called on the serving members of the National Assembly not to handle the fraud allegation against the SGF with levity.
Daramola said that the lawmakers should thoroughly carry out the job of letting Nigerians know the truth about the matter.
“Serving member take the issue seriously and unravel the reality about it. As you know that I am a former member, I believe they have better capacity on dealing with the issue,” he said.
