Some Nigerian youths on platform of the Coalition of Nigerian Youths in Defence of Democracy (CONYDD) has described as uncharitable the call by the Senate to remove the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Lawal Babachir, terming it as “a vandetta and vindictive cause.”
The coalition frowned at the speed at which the Senate used in sitting on a report termed interim only to indict the SGF who has not been given a fair hearing to defend himself as is the case in international best practice.
Recall Senate recently asked President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend and ensure prosecution of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, over alleged breach of Nigeria’s law in handling contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the North East, PINE
This was the thrust of the coalition when it held a press conference anchored by its national coordinator, Comrade Abdulrahman Andoma Friday, just as he averred that this latest onslaughtonslaughts by the Senate may be as a result of President Muhammdu Buhari’s intolerance to interfere with corruption cases of party members leading to the refusal of the Senate to reject the confirmation of the EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu.
Andoma said: “We are apprehensive that within a month of flipping into a few documents they are directly indicting someone who is even yet to have a level playing field to tender his side of the story.
“We would like to challenge the legal and moral grounds the committee has to recommend outright sacking and subsequent prosecution of a principal officer when fair hearing have not been given to the individual. This is only callous and a contradiction to what a democratic institution like the Senate stands for. “
The coalition wondered why “Such Speedy conclusions reached by the Senate give room for speculations that the President is being punished for refusing to interfere in all party and corruption related cases even if it meant favouring a few. Abba Kyari who is the President’s Chief Staff was among the first victims, then the SGF, and now one of the henchmen of the anti-graft war has not been confirmed by the senate.”
