Pine Fraud: Prosecute Lawal, others or incur wrath of Nigerians – Sani

The federal government has no option but to prosecute embattled and suspended Secretary to the government of the federation, Babachir Lawal and other government officials indicted for fraud over humanitarian services in the North East because of valid facts emanating from research carried out by the Senate special committee that investigated activities of the presidential initiative of the north east region, PINE, the panel chairman, Senator ShehuSani has said.

Senator Sani stated in Abuja that the report of the Senate Committee’s probe, indicted public officers and the onus now lies on the Acting President YemiOsinbajo’s panel to recommend them for prosecution or else the federal government would incur the wrath of the people who now provide oversight roles on the government.

“It was our search, backed by facts and figures and so they must work, act with our report”, he emphasized.

The Senator from Kaduna said in an exclusive chat, that the report of the committee was too clear and unambiguous with detailed facts and figures which the Osinbajo panel must work with.

According to him, the report was neither a poem, a philosophical paper nor a thesis, it is a report backed with facts and figures which must be implemented by the federal government, because the people were not only interested in the matter but were watching  developments, especially now that they have become the oversight tool  over  government.

Senator Sani recent position followed public outcry and comments that the Osinbajo panel abinitio was wrongly constituted since they were dealing with persons that were part and parcel of the presidency and as such justice and fair play may not be achieved from the panel’s work.

“They cannot be a judge in their own case”, said a legal practitioner and chairman board of editorial of Nigerian newspapers, Chris Akiri.

Akiri had raised the alarm over the constitution of the panel, saying that the Buhari’s administration needn’t appoint itself on a matter alleged against them.

“It is against the rule of natural justice, we are wasting time with the Osinbajo panel” he added, noting that, what the government required was to appoint people outside it.

“Implement our report or face the rage of the people”, Sani stated in Abuja.