Senate Bigwigs Keep Mum As President Muhammadu Buhari Resends Ibrahim Magu’s Name For Confirmation As EFCC Chairman

President Muhammadu Buhari has replied the Senate on its rejection of the nomination of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, The PUNCH reliably learnt on Monday.

In a letter, which reliable sources said was sent to the Office of the President of the Senate on Sunday night, Buhari pleaded with the lawmakers to confirm Magu.

It was gathered that the President’s stance stemmed from the fact that the acting EFCC chairman had been cleared of allegations against him in the security report by the Department of State Services.
Buhari’s letter was in response to the communication from the Senate on the rejection of Magu’s nomination for the EFCC chairmanship.

It was further learnt that the President addressed the issue of Senate’s allegation of misconduct against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal.

A source, who is close to the leadership of the Senate, told The PUNCH, on Monday, that the President appealed to the Senate to confirm Magu.

The source, who declined to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media on the new development, said, “The President of the Senate got the letter last (Sunday) night. He is not covering the allegations in the DSS report, but Magu had been cleared of the DSS allegations.

Six months after Buhari wrote the Senate, asking for legislative approval for Magu’s appointment, the lawmakers had, on December 15, 2016, rejected the nomination based on a “security report” by the DSS.

The DSS, in its report, specifically disqualified Magu from the EFCC chairmanship, alleging that his activities had made him ineligible to hold the office.

The report was addressed to the Clerk of the Senate, dated October 3, 2016, in reference to a letter by the Senate, dated September 21, 2016, asking for Magu’s security check.

The report, which listed several alleged malpractices against the EFCC boss, concluded, “In this light, Magu has failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration.”

The Senate, after rejecting Magu’s nomination, had communicated the rejection to the President.

The EFCC acting chairman had, in response to a query given to him by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, denied the allegations.

Another senior lawmaker in the Senate also confirmed Magu’s renomination by Buhari.

The senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the there were indications, after the Senate rejected Magu’s confirmation, that Buhari would not present a different nominee.

When asked if he was aware that Buhari had re-presented Magu to the Senate, the senator said, “Why won’t I be aware? You people (media) now need to market him very well because the anti-corruption war must be fought by everybody; otherwise, if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us.”

The Media Office of the President of the Senate, however, declined to speak on the communication from the Presidency on Magu.

The Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yussuph Olaniyonu, told one of our correspondents, “If there is any executive communication, it would be announced at plenary.”

The Clerk to the Senate, Mr. Nelson Ibhaguezege, referred The PUNCH to the Office of the President of the Senate, when asked if the renomination was communicated through his office.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, could not be reached to confirm Magu’s renomination.

He neither returned calls to his mobile lines nor replied a test message sent to him on the matter

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