The Senate on Thursday expressed anger and worry over the reaction of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, regarding the resolution of the upper legislative chamber that the SGF should be removed and prosecuted.

According to lawmakers, for Lawal to have granted a BBC interview in which he described the Senate’s allegation as “rubbish”, was a slight on the integrity of the Senate.

Members of the senate had called for the SGF’s removal following revelations that a company he owned was awarded a contract of over N200 million, to “clear invasive grass species” in Yobe state, by the Presidential Initiative for the North East.”

The SGF had shortly after the presentation of the 2017 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari, told newsmen that the Senate was out to malign him as he was never invited to state his own side of the story before the lawmakers went on air with the report.

Lawal stated that the certificate the senate obtained from the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, was fake, insisting that he had resigned as chairman of the said company in August 2015, before he was appointed SGF.

Dino Melaye, who had led the call for Lawal’s removal on Wednesday, expressed disgust that “A mere appointee of the President says that we are liars.”

“If the SGF says the document presented by the CAC is fake, he should produce the original,” he said.

Another lawmaker, Ibn Na’Allah said the recent developments has “largely shown that the SGF does not have the necessary capacity to occupy the post.”

Also contributing to the debate, Chukwuka Utazi noted that “an issue like this must not be swept under the carpet.”

“This position is a responsible position but if we have an irresponsible person there, it becomes a problem,” Utazi added.

Senate President Bukola Saraki sounded more disturbed about the SGF’s reaction to the issue.

“The issue we have here is very serious because it bothers on the integrity of the Senate” Saraki said.

“A matter like this should not be personalized; how can the SGF say we are saying rubbish?”

“We will communicate with the President with necessary document and let’s see what the Executive will do.

“We leave that to the Executive to do what has to be done. We have done our part and we commend you all for your effort,” the Senate President concluded.