At a time when President Muhammadu Buhari, had ordered the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubarkar Malami, to investigate the Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, and other government officials accused of corruption, the Chairman Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Senator David Umaru, on Monday, December 25, declared support for the EFCC boss.
Recall, that the Spokesperson to the Senate, Aliyu Abdullahi, had on Thursday, December 15, while reading out the House’s resolution on Magu’s confirmation, after a closed door session, said the Chamber had unanimously rejected his nomination.
“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,” Mr. Abdullahi said.
Although, the alleged position did not go down well with Senator Ali Ndume, who has since denied the report, insisting that Magu was not rejected, a position the Senate has re-clarified.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, speaking in Minna, on Monday, said, “The issue of Magu was never voted on in plenary, so as far as I am concerned Magu’s nomination was never rejected.
“If somebody say it was rejected, it was probably a mistake; me, I have not voted.
“The Senate operates by rules, the rule is that this thing must be presented to us, either by the Committee, or through direct interaction with the Members in plenary; non of this has happened.
“The issue of Magu was discussed only in the executive session of the Senate.
“It was not an issue discussed at plenary, so anything done in the executive session is not the same thing as that done in plenary; so as far as I am concerned the issue of Magu, the consideration of his nomination was never considered by the Senate”, Umaru noted.
Representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Umaru, added that the matter has been referred to the Presidency to “do due diligence”, because of the conflicting reports from the Department of State Security, DSS on the matter.
“Now that they have that development from the DSS, the matter was referred back to the Presidency, so that they can clarify the matter, after which the Senate will now consider it.”
On allegations on corruption against the Secretary to the Federal Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Umaru said, Federal Lawmakers followed due process, before arriving at the decision taken.
“The SGF case, it was a work done by the Committee and was presented. It was the decision of the majority, based on the resolution passed,” Umaru noted.
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