President Muhammadu Buhari has penned down Audu Ogbeh, and some senior serving and retired federal civil servants as replacement for SGF Babachir Lawal

- The president has also asked the DSS to carry out discreet profiling of some technocrats for the SGF position

- A source discloses that Babachir Lawal will be sacked in a matter of weeks

Audu Ogbeh tipped to replace Babachir Lawal – Source
Buhari will replace Babachir Lawal with a new SGF in the coming weeks, a source has disclosed.
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently looking for a new secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) following the indictment of Babachir Lawal by the Senate for alleged corruption, according to recent reports.

Babachir has been on the spot since the Senate indicted him of sharp practices in expending funds meant for alleviating the sufferings of the displaced in north east.




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).

Daily Post citing a source, reports that persons tipped as possible replacement for the SGF include the minister of agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, and some senior serving and retired federal civil servants.

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.


He said the president had asked the DSS to carry out discreet profiling of some technocrats for the position.


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.