President Muhammadu Buhari has faulted reports which claimed he had
earlier declared that former Secretary to Government of the Federation
(SGF), Babachir Lawal, was not guilty of the corruption allegations
leveled against him.
Buhari, speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,
Femi Adesina, stated this on Monday during his appearance on Channels
Television’s Politics Today.
“You didn’t get it right; the President had no time said anybody was
not guilty. What the President said then was that he was not given the
right to defend himself,” he said.
Contrary to claims that the President was defending the sacked SGF,
Adesina said President Buhari was not pleased with the process adopted
by the legislature for the accusation of Lawal.
“He (Buhari) said the procedure adopted for the indictment that came
from the National Assembly was not proper. The President did not give
him a clean bill of health, he only faulted the procedure,” the
President’s spokesman insisted.
He, however, said the decision to sack the senior government
officials was a proof that the President was careful in making
decisions, adding that nobody could pressure him.
Adesina added that the relevant agencies that had begun
investigations into the allegations which led to the sack of the former
SGF and NIA boss would be allowed to continue with their work without
any interference.
“Anybody that knows this President will know that he’s a man that
takes his time but when he makes up his mind, he makes it up real good.
Who can pressure the President? All I’ll just say is that the President,
once again, has shown himself to be a painstaking and a thorough
person.
“The Presidency does not interfere in the works of the
security agencies, they know what they should do at any given time. So,
the onus is on them to do the next thing,” he said.