Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Lawal Babachir, has been summoned by the Senate to defend comments he allegedly made over constituency projects of the lawmakers.
The senators directed that the SGF should appear before its committees on Appropriation, Finance and Budget.
The invitation was sequel to a Point-of-Order raised by Deputy Chairman, Committee on Health, Sen. Matthew Urhoghide, at plenary on Tuesday.
Reading from Order 15 of the Senate Standing Rules, the lawmaker said his attention was drawn to a publication on a national daily, attributed to the SGF on non-implementation of constituency projects.
He said that the publication alleged that the SGF said that constituency projects may not be executed because Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) may not find it critical as part of their mandate.
“The end of the briefing said it is obvious that we will implement only those projects for which there is money.
“I want to say that in the budget as presented by President Muhammadu Buhari, intervention for the zones was about N60 billion.
“This means that it is less than one per cent and for the SGF to say that the projects will not be implemented to the letter, calls for worry.
“Immediately the budget was published, I gave account of my one year here and enumerated the constituency projects I want to embark upon and my people were happy.
“For the SGF to say that, if he actually did, means that my people will be underdeveloped, but God forbid,’’ he said.
The lawmaker explained that the budget had become law having been passed by the national assembly, and endorsed by the president.
He pointed out that refusal to implement the budget was an impeachable offence as it was a violation of the law.
He urged the senate to summon the SGF within 48 hours to explain what he meant in the news briefing.
Supporting the motion, Deputy Minority Whip, Biodun Olujimi, said that for such comment to come from the highest administrative nominee of the government was worrisome.
She said that the SGF ought to guard his statements as a highly-placed nominee of government so as not to dent the image of the government.
“He called the confab of eminent Nigerians a `job for the boys’ and the next thing is to say the constituency project approved will not be properly implemented.
“He is not representing the government well.
“It is time for us to say that we will not allow our political nominees to take us for granted or deride us or deprive our constituents what belongs to them,’’ she said.
Supporting the point of order, the Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Bala Na’Allah, said that the motion was timely in view of the importance of constituency projects to Nigerians.
However, he said any statement made by the SGF should not be attributed to the Federal Government.
He said that the SGF was neither the Finance Minister nor the Minister of Budget or spokesperson of the government.
“ What was alleged to be said by Babachir cannot be the position of the President. I urge my colleagues not to dignify information that comes from improper authority.
“I second but we should refuse to recognise comments coming from people who have no authority to speak on behalf of the government,’’ he said.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that if there were advertisements on constituency projects, it was a welcomed development.
However, he insisted on the SGF appearing before the appropriate committees to explain his comments on non-implementation of constituency projects.
“If there is advert on constituency projects, that is good, but we need to hear from the SGF and Minister of Finance to explain the position of the constituency projects,’’ he said
The Senate also gave the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) the last opportunity to appear before it over alleged forgery of 2015 Standing Orders.
The AGF, Mr Abubakar Malami, is expected to appear before members of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
The summon followed a motion by the Chairman of the committee, Sen. David Umaru, at plenary.
The Red Chamber, on June 21, invited Malami to come and give reason for reopening alleged forgery case against its principal officers after it was struck out by the court.
Presenting the motion, Umaru said that the Justice Minister failed to appear before the committee on two occasions in spite of being sent formal letters.
According to him, it is expedient to inform the senate of the failure of the AGF to honour the Senate’s summon in spite of its powers to invite office holders to answer to questions over issues of concern.
“On June 21, the chamber resolved on a matter of urgent public importance which has imminent threat to Nigeria following a motion sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye.
“The resolution of the senate was for the committee on judiciary to invite him to explain the reasons behind the attempt to press charges against principal officers of this hallowed chamber.
“In line with the directive, we invited him on the 23rd of June; he did not appear but a letter was received that he needed more time to articulate his position and that he was out of the country.
“We obliged him and rescheduled another meeting for the 30th of June; on that day, he still did not appear but somebody who claimed to be Mr Obla appeared to say he was appearing on behalf of the minister.
“We told him he was not an invitee and he was asked to leave,’’ he said.
Umaru, however, implored the senate to give the minister another opportunity, saying that he had pleaded for another opportunity to appear before the committee.
He said that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, had communicated to him over the AGF’s regret for failing to respond to the invitation.
The motion was unanimously adopted by the legislators.
In his remarks, Saraki said that the senate would give the AGF a final opportunity to answer to his alleged role in the forgery case.
Saraki added that failure to honour the invitation would force the senate to invoke constitutional provisions on such issues.
“We have all heard him. It appears that he is requesting for more time and I think that we should do that, otherwise we will follow the Constitution strictly.’’
The Senate also urged the Federal Government to enter into negotiations with state governments for the payment of salary arrears owed teachers across the country.
This followed a motion by the Chairman, Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Dino Melaye, at plenary on Tuesday.
The senate also urged the federal, states and local governments to begin the implementation of a priority expenditure scheme that put the payment of teachers’ salaries in the same range as security.
Leading debate on the motion, Melaye expressed worry over non-payment of teachers across the country, describing it as unacceptable.
He decried the non-utilisation of the bailout fund given to the states by the Federal Government and warned against the resultant effect of a nationwide teachers strike.
Supporting the motion, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, said that teachers should be paid as at when due.
“We have to change our perception that teachers reward is in heaven; we need to discourage this attitude.
“We should rise to condemn the continuous owing of teachers. Why should teachers’ salary be the last to be paid,’’ he said.
Senator Jeremiah Useni (PDP Plateau) stressed the need to make teachers’ salaries a priority of government, adding that teachers were the engine room of development in any country and should not be played with.
In his remarks, Saraki urged the Federal Government to urgently address the lingering salary problem of teachers across the country.
