Breaking: Senate refuses to confirm Magu as EFCC boss

“The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, read the vice-president’s letter on July 14 but the red chamber then failed to schedule a confirmation hearing fueling suspicions that some corrupt Senators bent on blocking Mr. Magu from the position.  Following widespread pressure from Nigerians, the lawmakers fixed December 8 for the session. But that also failed to materialise. It was then rescheduled for this Thursday December 15, which also failed to take place on an excuse of security report.”

The Senate Thursday refused to confirm the nomination of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, claiming its refusal was based on security report available to it.

Addressing newsmen, the spokesman of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the refusal was based on the report of Department of State Service (DSS).

Abdullahi revealed this Thursday afternoon after the Senators emerged from a closed-door meeting where Mr. Magu’s confirmation was discussed.

He said, “The Senate wishes to inform the public that based on available security report, the Senate cannot proceed with the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“The nomination of Ibrahim Magu is hereby rejected and has been returned to the President for further action,” Abdullahi said.

“The question that many have asked however is whether the lawmakers have access to security report particularly about the EFCC boss more than the President who nominated and sent a letter requesting them to perform their own complimenting role by confirming him.  The DEFENDER will feed its readers with update on the new development.”

It would be recalled that The DEFENDER had reported on Wednesday December 7 suspicion of some of its respondents to a letter written by former First Lady Patience Jonathan, asking the House of Representatives to save her from EFCC’s harassment, on a day before last Thursday scheduled date for the EFCC’s boss confirmation screening by the Senate.  The respondents ventilated their suspicion that the Patience Jonathan’s move was an attempt to thwart the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as planned.

They asked why the petition was coming exactly about the same time that Ibrahim Magu was scheduled to be screened for confirmation at the Senate.  The respondents were partly vindicated when on Thursday last week the Senate said confirmation screening of the EFCC boss was absent on order paper against its earlier announce on Wednesday December 7.

It would also be recalled that Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele of INRI Spiritual and Evangelical Church, Oke Afa, Isolo, Lagos had once reportedly said in his predictions that the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, would not be appreciated despite the good work he was doing in ensuring the success of the anti-corruption war of the current administration.

They have been said to be finally fully vindicated with the new development whereby the Senate came with its claim that it rejected the confirmation screening of the anti-graft czar’s appointment as EFCC chairman based on security report available to it.

The Senate had slated this Thursday to screen Mr. Magu, who has been acting as EFCC Chairman in the past one year.

The Presidency had since July requested the Senate to confirm Mr. Magu.

The request was made through a letter signed by Vice-president Yemi Osinbajo in his capacity as acting President when Mr. Buhari was on five-day leave abroad.

But the upper chamber failed to act.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, read the vice-president’s letter on July 14 but the red chamber then failed to schedule a confirmation hearing fueling suspicions that some corrupt Senators bent on blocking Mr. Magu from the position.

Following widespread pressure from Nigerians, the lawmakers fixed December 8 for the session. But that also failed to materialise. It was then rescheduled for this Thursday December 15, which expectedly also failed to take place on an excuse of security report.

“It would also be recalled that Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele of INRI Spiritual and Evangelical Church, Oke Afa, Isolo, Lagos had once reportedly said in his predictions that the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, would not be appreciated despite the good work he was doing in ensuring the success of the anti-corruption war of the current administration.”

The question that many have asked however is whether the lawmakers have access to security report particularly about the EFCC boss more than the President who nominated and sent a letter requesting them to perform their own complimenting role by confirming him.

The DEFENDER will feed its readers with update on the new development.