President Muhammadu Buhari has received the report of the Presidential investigation panel that looked into the allegations against suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. David Babachir Lawal; and the Director General, Nigeria Intelligence Agency, NIA, Mr. Ayo Oke.
The panel, headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, submitted the report to President Buhari on Tuesday.
President Buhari had suspended Lawal on April 19 over allegations that he awarded contracts to a company in which he had interest under the Presidential Initiative on the North East, PINE.
Oke, on his part, was investigated for alleged $43.4 million operations cash found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at an apartment 7B in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The President set up the Osinbajo panel to investigate allegations against the two government officials, mandating it to submit its report in three weeks.
Other members of the panel were the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Mallami; and the National Security Adviser, NSA, Major-General Babagana Mungono(Rtd.)
The panel would have submitted its report on Monday, May 8, but could not do so because President Buhari left for the United Kingdom on medical vacation a day before, May 7.
Speaking to State House Correspondents after submitting the report, Professor Osinbajo said the panel “submitted a full report with recommendations to the president.”
He, however, stated that the panel cannot disclose details of the report because the President has to look into it, study it and then make his own decisions based on that report.
According to him the panel was a fact-finding committee whose terms of reference were to find out what transpired based on “the facts available and based on the interviews of witnesses.”
Asked if the panel was fair in its assignment, Prof. Osinbajo said: “we are always fair minded and the whole approach is to ensure that justice is done in all cases.
“It is in the interest of the government and also the interest of the nation that things are done properly and that there is due process and that we are not unfair. You can be sure that we will do the right thing.”
The vice president said he did not know how soon details of the report would be made public since the President would still have his decisions to make on it.
