The suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal is currently meeting Nigeria’s ailing President, Muhammadu Buhari in London.
The meeting was arranged by the Chief Security Officer to the president, Bashir Abubakar.
The infamous grasscutter, Babachir Lawal was indicted by the Senate committee on humanitarian crisis in the North-East for allegedly awarding a N200 million contract for the clearing of ‘Invasive Plant Species’ at IDP camp in Yobe state to a company in which he has interest.
Mr Babachir David Lawal who was thereafter suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari over the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Babachir Lawal, in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) is said to be meeting with the President over his suspension as SGF and his possible return to continue as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
You would recall that Babachir Lawal and President Muhammadu Buhari both have a long standing relationship. This relationship dates back to 2002 when Lawal formally joined partisan politics. Source close to the former SGF says, it was Muhammadu Buhari’s lifestyle and strict adherence to what he believes in that attracted Babachir Lawal. In 2003 when President Muhammadu Buhari first had a shot at the highest office in the land, Babachir according to source worked assiduously in ensuring that Buhari is elected President. Even in his failed bid in those 3 consecutive elections, Babachir Lawal’s faith in him still remained strong. It was not surprising to many when President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as SGF when he finally won the presidential election in 2015.
Sources within the Presidency told LeadersNG that despite President Buhari’s sentiment towards Babachir Lawal, the former is still wary of possible backlash and public outcry to Babachir’s reinstatement as SGF.
LeadersNG further learned that the the full report on Babachir Lawal and that of National Intelligence Agency DG, (NIA) Ayo Oke got leaked to the press by someone in Acting President Osinbajo’s office after hearing that Babachir Lawal was going to London to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari.
In the report, the panel led by the Vice President, according to source indicted the two officials and made a strong recommendation that the duo be fired as Secretary to the Government Of Federation and Director-General of National Intelligence Agency respectively.
The source close to President Muhammadu Buhari revealed that the President is not in a hurry to sack the suspended SGF as he is the head of the political Think-Thank of the administration, and he’s been the one reaching out to the Judiciary in many of it’s cases in court. The source further revealed that the president is also considering an unofficial role for the suspended SGF in the eventuality it becomes completely impossible to bring him back as SGF.
