Uproar in Senate as Buhari turns down resolution to sack SGF

•SGF Babachir David Lawal, caught between "Buhari's Nigeria" and "Nigeria's Buhari"

There was uproar in the Senate on Tuesday as Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, read President Muhammadu Buhari’s letter, which criticized the resolution of the Senate that Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, should resign his position and face prosecution over alleged abuse of office.

 

Senator Shehu Sani, (Kaduna Central) who said that he was shocked that President Buhari could be misled to write such a letters, described it as “the funeral service for anti-corruption fight” in the country.

Senator Sani who was chairman, Senate ad-hoc committee on “Mounting humanitarian crisis in the North-East” while defending the report of his committee came hard on President Buhari.

The Kaduna Central Senator noted that it was unfortunate that President Buhari’s Government has chosen to fight corruption with “insecticide when it has to do with the Judiciary, National Assembly and the larger society and uses deodorant when it has to do with the Presidency.”

He also insisted that “It is unfortunate that we have a political atmosphere where you have a saintly and angelic presidency and a devilish and evil society.”

 Saraki appeared uncomfortable with the line of defence Sani was offering and attempted to cut him short.

There was instantaneous uproar in the chamber as Senators across party line urged Sani to “fire on.”

Saraki retreated and allowed Sani to conclude his explanation about how his committee arrived at its conclusions and recommendations on the need for Lawal to resign and be prosecuted for alleged abuse of office.

Many Senators were also said to have doubted that President Buhari actually wrote the letter since it was “hurriedly sent to the Senate after President Buahri travelled to the United Kingdome for medical treatment.”