Senate takes anti-Magu war to Presidency

*Magu is a terror to us – Senator

*We will see who wins – Nigerians

He went further to wonder how “under Saraki, an APC Senator, a PDP Senator from Delta North by name Peter Nwaoboshi would set the tone at plenary that confirmation of the RECs be stood down and that would be the one picked by Saraki.  Now that he has taken the anti-Magu war openly to the Presidency, we the watchers will only wait patiently to see who wins since the President is yet to declare war on the corrupt Senators who are working hard to destroy the legislative institution merely for their whims and caprices.  Only today Wednesday the same Senate that wants Magu sacked has cleared Melaye and Saraki of allegations of corruption against them but has rather suspended Senator Ali Ndume for calling for investigation of the Senators due to allegations flying around against their persons in the media.”

The Senate, on Tuesday, drew the battle line with the Presidency as it suspended for two weeks, the screening of 27 persons President Muhammadu Buhari nominated for the office of Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs.

The decision was to protest its displeasure with the continued retention of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, despite his failure to get Senate confirmation.

The Senate’s action received mixed reactions from lawyers, ranging from support to disagreement on the point that the President’s seeming reluctance on Magu should not make the Senate abandon its constitutional duty.

During the two-week suspension, Senate President Bukola Saraki is expected to meet with the President to resolve the issue of Magu, who was, on Tuesday, described by a senator as a terror to them.

The Senate had penultimate Wednesday refused to confirm Magu after screening the acting chairman of the anti-graft agency but the rejection nonetheless, Magu has continued to act in that office, a development that drew the ire of the Senate, on Tuesday.

It then resolved to stand down confirmation hearing of the 27 REC nominees.

The Senate is also not happy with the Presidency over comments by the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, who was alleged to have described the exercise of the Senate in screening nominees of the Executive as mere confirmation.

Before the Tuesday plenary, the Senate had met in a closed-door session where the its position was rehearsed. Senate President, Saraki, at the end of the session, said the Senate resolved to defend the integrity of the upper chamber as an institution against external attacks.

“What is angering many is that, Saraki, whose Senate had resolved to defend the integrity of the upper chamber as an institution against external attacks, does not seem to know that people all over the world are watching how he himself has dragged his Senate into interfering unnecessarily in the affairs of the executive pretending to the doing constitutional oversight.  He has now led his upper chamber to declaring clear war on Buhari’s government barely one week after he purportedly said “I will shut down Buhari’s government in 72 hours…” and has up till his latest position standing down on confirmation of the INEC 27 RECs failed to deny the statement that went viral on social media and some sections of the media.  Is this not now confirmation that he actually said that he would shut down the Buhari’s government?” A respondent reacted Wednesday afternoon.

He went further to wonder how “under Saraki, an APC Senator, a PDP Senator from Delta North by name Peter Nwaoboshi would set the tone at plenary that confirmation of the RECs be stood down and that would be the one picked by Saraki.  Now that he has taken the anti-Magu war openly to the Presidency, we the watchers will only wait patiently to see who wins since the President is yet to declare war on the corrupt Senators who are working hard to destroy the legislative institution merely for their whims and caprices.  Only today Wednesday the same Senate that wants Magu sacked has cleared Melaye and Saraki of allegations of corruption against them but has rather suspended Senator Ali Ndume for calling for investigation of the Senators due to allegations flying around against their persons in the media.”

He however added that President Buhari should watch it and that the way he handles this “disgusting attitude” of Saraki will determine what eventually becomes part of how his government performance will be measured in later times.