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Senate Rejects Magu As EFCC Boss …It’s Ridicule To Presidency – Falana
Yesterday, the Senate refused to confirm the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
The Senate based its reasons on the letters sent to it by the Department of States Services, DSS, wherein it said Mr. Magu was unfit to head the anti-graft agency.
However, below are nine questions Mr. Magu was asked which, perhaps contributed in disqualifying him as the substantive head of EFCC.
How will EFCC under Magu fight corruption within the law? – Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu asked.
Ekweremadu also asked about the operations of the EFCC on disobeying court orders and cases of human rights abuse and asked Magu to respond to the last DSS report.
You need to expantiate on your activities on human rights, What are your findings and activities on the Paris Club fund”- Sen. Shehu Sani. Magu
What are the special powers of EFCC under section 6 of the EFCC act” – Bukola Saraki.
What is the concept of Financial crime as stipulated in the EFCC act” Sen. – Sen Isah Misau.
Dasuki took money illegally and not a single person from the CBN has been investigated or prosecuted so far” – Sen Isah Misa
Why is Central Bank Governor who released money to Ibrahim Dasuki not being investigated by EFCC – Sen Isah Misau.
How much funds has been recovered since you took charge of the commission. – Sen. Duro Faseyi.
What led to the death of Mr. Desmond and why was the body taken to the mortuary before contacting the family. -Sen.Ben Ajumogobia.
As Magu has been disqualified for the second time, what will be the way forward for the institution and next nomination choice for President Buhari. Nigerians are carefully waiting to see how things will play out.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has described the refusal of the Nigerian Senate to confirm Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) as a ridicule of the office of the president and President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to the fight against corruption.
The Senate has twice declined to confirm Magu as EFCC boss, basing its decisions on a status report by the Department of States Service that indicted Magu as “a liability to the anti-corruption fight of the present administration.”
But Falana said Wednesday that the DSS undermined the office of the president and described the screening of Magu as illegal, noting that some of the senators who voted against his confirmation were under EFCC investigation.
“The rejection of the nomination of Mr Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)…by the Senate on the basis of a security report compiled by the State Security Service is the height of official ridicule of the office of the President,” he said.
“It is high time the State Security Service was restrained by President Buhari from sabotaging the fight against corruption by the federal government
“With respect to the Senate the confirmation hearing hurriedly conducted today is illegal in every material particular. The participation of many senators who are either under investigation or being prosecuted by the EFCC has vitiated the entire proceedings of the Senate on the ground of conflict of interest.
“It is also a contravention of the Rules of the Senate which stipulates that matters which are sub-judice shall not be discussed by the Senate.
Regardless of Senate’s refusal, however, Falana said President Buhari still has the right to re-present Magu;s name to the senate for confirmation or allow him to continue to act as the EFCC boss pursuant to pursuant to section 171 of the Constitution.
Similarly, the Presidency says it is yet to receive the National Assembly’s final decision on the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Femi Adesina stated this on his twitter handle yesterday in Abuja.
According to the presidential aide, the presidency will respond to the disqualification of Magu if it receives official communication in writing from the senate.
He said: “The Presidency will respond to the non-clearance of Magu as EFCC boss, after it receives official communication in writing from the senate.’’
The Senate rejected Magu’s re-nomination as substantive chairman of the EFCC via a voice vote at plenary session on Wednesday, after a letter from the Department of State Services (DSS), indicated that he failed another integrity test.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital territory (FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye, had brought to the notice of Magu that the Senate on Tuesday received a letter from the DSS, stating that he failed the integrity test.
However, Magu said the accusations against him were unfounded, stressing that the DSS did not give him fair hearing before writing to the Senate.
He said that the credibility of the DSS was at stake in view of the fact that besides not giving him fair hearing, two varying letters were sent to Senate on the same day.
President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said the Senate had played its constitutional role as an arm of government.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to send the name of another nominee to fill any vacuum that might be created in the commission
According to sources, the DSS report, dated March 14, contained several accusations of Magu flying first class against the directive of President Buhari and associating with people being investigated by the commission.
It further alleged that Magu lived in a N20 million per year apartment rented for him by an individual being investigated by the commission.
The Presidency had in 2016 written to the Senate, seeking the screening and confirmation of Magu as substantive chairman of EFCC.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.