The pressure on President Buhari to sack the Secretary to the Federal Government, Babachir Lawal, seems to be telling as the president has decided to let him go, media sources have revealed.
The Senate on Wednesday, December 14, called for the resignation of the SGF after the presentation of a report on mounting humanitarian crisis in the north-east by the Shehu Sani-led ad hoc committee, which linked Babachir to a N2.5billion fraud at the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE).
According to media reports, the president has decided to sack Lawal and that will be done in a matter of weeks.
There are several senior government officials that have been penned down to replace Lawal in the job, but media sources say the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh is a foremost candidate for the position.
Daily Post cites an insider source saying Audu Ogbeh’s chances of getting the job are quite high.
President Buhari has ordered the DSS to look into the profiles of persons being considered for the job, and come out with a concise security report.
According to the source, the chances of Ogbeh getting the job are strong because he was initially one of those penciled down for the SGF job before powerful forces urged the president to settle for Lawal.
The source said: “Ogbeh was considered just after the APC won the presidency. He is a chieftain of the party that worked hard to help the president win, APC also won governorship in his state.
“He was a former deputy speaker and former Minister; both elective and appointment based positions. Thus, that he has the requisite experience is not in doubt.
“Being one of the top Northern leaders who formed APC and has friends across the country, the belief then was that the president would give him the seat.
“Eventually, Lawal was brought, perhaps because he is not a core politician like Ogbeh and others.
The source noted that if Ogbeh doesn’t become the next SGF, then Buhari might select a top technocrat for the job.
When asked how soon Buhari may the sack of the SGF, the source said Lawal will remain in the position till 2017.
But he pointed out that the removal of Lawal was almost certain because of other misconduct the SGF had carried out in time past.
“It won’t be sudden but it will happen. I do not think the president will overlook some of Lawal’s actions which have been piling.
“One of such was his private abroad trip which sent tongues wagging. The SGF was discovered to have collected money to cover his expenses as if it were an official trip.
“This and other allegations, I believe are distracting him lately. The office of the SGF is too sensitive and it is most likely the president will deal with the situation once and for all in a matter of weeks,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Babachir Lawal has faulted the Senate for linking him to the alleged diversion of the funds meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast and accused them of being in the habit of bringing down people.