SGF Babachir Lawal reacts to report of his removal as committee chairman

*Says he completed his assignment, submitted his report

The Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal has said that he was not removed as chairman of the presidential committee on the reconstitution of federal government boards.

President Muhammadu Buhari on 16 July 2015 dissolved the Governing Boards of many of the Federal Institutions and inaugurated an eight-man committee headed by Babachir on October 26 on the reconstitution of all the boards.

Other members of the committee are Alhaji Mai Mala Buni (North-East), Alhaji Zakari Idde (North-Central), Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir (North-West), Chief Hillard Etagbo Eta (South-South), Chief Pius Akinyelure (South-West), Chief Emmanuel Eneukwu (South-East) as members while Mr. Gideon Sammani is the Secretary.

Speaking through the Director of Press in the SGF office, Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, Babachir said it was natural for the president to act on the report of the committee which he chaired and that it is impracticable for him to still be the one to implement the recommendations of the committee if the president did not asked him to do so.  He said the SGF committee successfully completed its assignment and duly submitted its report appropriately.

“If the committee satisfactorily completed its assignment as given by Mr. President and submitted its report, the same committee cannot still be the one implementing the report unless authorised by Mr. President to do so. And if Mr. President is taking actions on the report of the committee by a higher authority this cannot be taken as an indictment of the SGF or members of the committee that produced the report, or that he was replaced,” Adebiyi said.

He added: “There are many factors in the work of the committee, like others that may be asked to carry out a mandate. Mr. President may still have other inputs based on being contacted by persons or groups. After the submission of the committee report, it is the prerogative of Mr. President and not that the SGF committee to decide what to do with the report.