A Civil rights activist, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman has blamed
President Muhammadu Buhari for clearing of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal and acting
Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr.
Ibrahim Magu of corruption with the heap of evidences against the duo
before the Presidency.
He however, applauded the Senator, representing Kaduna Central
Senatorial District in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly,
Senator (Comrade) Sheu Sanni for always speaking the truth and
standing by the truth on the issue of national importance of this
nature, commending the lawmaker for exposing the corrupt practices of
the SGF as affects the Nigerians living in the Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) camp in the war ravaging North Eastern part of the
Country.
Comrade Sulaiman who is the Executive Chairman, Centre for Human
Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), made this known through a signed
statement, which a copy was made available to newsmen on Wednesday, in
reaction to the clearance report of the Mr. President on the duo,
especially, as it affected the confirmation of Mr. Magu as substantive
Chairman of the anti-graft agency by the Senate.
He also faulted the position of President Buhari given clean bill to
Lawal and Magu as contained in the President’s letter to the National
Assembly, faulting the failure of the Executive arm of government
through the of office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice,
Mr. Abubarka Malami, SAN ,for not bringing out the findings of his
committee that investigated the allegations corruption and abuse of
office leveled against the duo, insisting that the allegations of
corrupt practice and abuse of office leveled against Magu and Lawal
were true and that was the reason why the AGF finding it difficult to
make it known to the public.
Sulaiman who doubles as the Chairman, Civil Societies Coalition for
the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS), thrown his support to the
position of the National Assembly, calling for the removal from office
and prosecution of Lawal for awarding contract to a firm where he was
a Director in the humanitarian crisis in the North-East and rejection
of the confirmation of Mr. Magu as substantive Chairman of the EFCC.
He maintained that Magu and Lawal had contravened the section 15(5) of
the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
which forbidden public official to use their office for personal
benefit and gratification, but, it was punishable offence under the
law of the land, calling on President Buhari to do the need by
removing the SGF and withdrawing the name of Mr. Ibarhim Magu before
the Senate without further delaying.
According to him, “By calling for the removal of Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal and rejection
of the confirmation of the acting Chairman of Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu as substantive Chairman over
alleged abuse of office, does not absolve the current National
Assembly of guilty of corruption too, because the Senate President,
Senator Bukola Saraki is still facing the charge of false assets
declaration,a breach of Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and
Tribunal Act, Cap C15, LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 23 (2) as
incorporated under paragraph 18 of Part 1, Fifth Schedule of the 1999
Constitution.
“While the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly still facing the
mess on 2016 Budget padding in the public court. But President
Muhammadu Buhari should do the needful by standing on his inaugural
speech that he belongs to nobody and belong to everybody. The
corruption should be fought frontally by not minding whose ox is
gored. Retaining of SGF in office and resending the name of Mr. Magu
back to the Senate for confirmation, is sending wrong signal to the
public and development is against the principle of justice and
egalitarian society. This is high time for President to embark on self
cleansing in order to restore the lost glory of change mantra gospel.
We are strongly condemned Mr. President Letter to the Senate,
absolving Mr. Babachir Lawal and Mr. Ibrahim Magu of abuse of office”.
He, therefore, warned President Buhari against fighting the war on
corruption with double standard, saying that the current development
in the Presidency over the allegation of corruption against its
officials, would damage the image of the present administration on the
fight against corruption and its change mantra gospel before the
citizens and international community, if President failed to stick to
his inaugural speech.
Signed:
COMRADE ADENIYI, ALIMI SULAIMAN,
(REVOLUTIONARY ALFA)
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE (CHRSJ)
+2348038591504/+2348022697573
