Less than 24 hours President Muhammadu Buhari sacked the embattled Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, the ruling All Progressives Congress has commended the action.
The party also praised the President for proving to be keen in the fight against corruption by avoiding dragging its name to the mud, in his zeal not to shield compromising govt officials.
A statement from its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on Monday said Mr. Mustapha was the best man for the job, owing to his wealth of experience and his unalloyed loyalty to it.
“The Party believes the President could not have made a better choice. Mustapha is a competent, loyal and dedicated leader who over the years has demonstrated that he has a pan-Nigerian outlook.
“With his appointment, the Party is confident that Mustapha being a strong party man will provide the necessary linkage between the government and the Party, and with the other arms of government, especially the National Assembly,” according to a statement obtained by Channels Television on Monday.
However, the ruling APC’s comments come some hours after the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adeshina, announced the sack of the former SGF, alleged to have engaged in corrupt practices.
President Buhari axed the embattled former SGF, Mr. Babachir Lawal, on Monday after keeping mum for over about two months that has sparked reactions across the polity.
Mr. Lawal was alleged to have been involved in a grass-cutting scandal gulped N530m in connection with the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on North East which the Senate revealed the contract in Yobe that led to his reported suspension.
Following the allegation, Buhari set up a committee headed by Vice President Osinbajo who that probed ex-SGF Lawal and the National Intelligence Agency boss.
The committee was given 14 days to complete its investigation and submit its report to the President.
It was, however, unable to submit the report on schedule as the President travelled to London on May 7 for medical attention, a trip that kept him away from the country for more than three months.
The Osinbajo led committee, however, submitted the report to the President on August 23.
The President suspended Mr. Lawal and Mr. Oke in April after both of them were hit with corruption allegations.
On his part, Mr. Oke was suspended after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered a huge amount of foreign and local currencies in a residential apartment in the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Days after the EFCC made the discovery, the NIA had claimed that the funds belonged to it and that it was meant for a covert operation. Meanwhile, the apartment in which it was found was later discovered to belong to Mr. Oke’s wife.
The delay in taking a decision on the fate of both men had attracted criticism for President Buhari and his administration’s anti-corruption war.
