We Haven’t Reject Ibrahim Magu…Senate
…Reverses Self on SGF
…As Justice Minister Keeps Silent on President’s Directives
Indications have emerged that Senate may have bowed to public pressures and soft pedaled on its earlier decision not to confirm Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.
This followed revelations that the Upper Legislative Chamber was yet to take a final decision on the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the anti- graft Agency.
This is even as it also refuted reports that the Senate has indicted the Secretary to the government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal over allegations of breach of nation’s Procurement laws by awarding contract to a firm in which he has controlling interest, to clear invasive plant species in Yobe Internally Displaced Persons IDP, camp.
Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, stated this while speaking with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, on Monday shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Recall that Senate while deliberating on report of the ad-hoc committee of the Senate on “mounting humanitarian crisis in the North East” had reportedly “indicted” Mr. Lawal for allegedly awarding a contract of N233 million clear invasive plant species in Yobe State to Rholavision Nigeria Limited, a company which they said was linked to him.
The Senate which considered report of the led by Shehu Sani Committee, had asked President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend Mr. Lawal and ensure his prosecution over alleged breach of Nigerian laws in handling contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the North East, (PINE).
Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, also Thursday declared that ” the world was watching President Muhammadu Buhari on how he would handle the Senate’s Wednesday’s resolution calling for the sack of the SGF”
But speaking with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Monday, Senator Ali Ndume, said Senate did not categorically reject Magu as EFCC Chairman.
“No, no no. Let me say categorically that the Senate did not reject Ibrahim Magu as the chairman. What happened was that when we slated his confirmation for Thursday, we had an issue or a letter from the Department of State Security (DSS) that could not allow us to continue with the confirmation without further clarifications”
“So, we now concluded that since we have a letter that we cannot ignore, we could not do the confirmation. So, it was not that we sat down to take a decision that we have rejected Ibrahim Magu. So, i want that to come out clearly.”
“We specifically asked chairman media to issue a statement. What we said was that on that Thursday the Senate could not go ahead with the confirmation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu and that we are in possession of a letter from the Department of State Service which requires clarification from Mr. President, who is the head of the government. That was what happened.”
“Even if the rejection is going to come, it is not going to come from the Senate because we have not done anything anyway”
When Senator Ndume was reminded that the Senate spokesperson said the Senate rejected Magu, he said Senate has not taken such decision
“I hope we are not arguing. I listened and I still listened because of this controversy that can come out. I’m part of the persons that wrote the short press statement which states that the Senate cannot continue with the confirmation. It is different from saying that the Senate has rejected him” he said
“I hope we are not arguing. I listened and I still listened because of this controversy that can come out. I’m part of the persons that wrote the short press statement which states that the Senate cannot continue with the confirmation. It is different from saying that the Senate has rejected him” he said
Also speaking on the fate of the Secretary to the government of the Federation, SGF, the Senate Leader, said ” It is not an order we are giving”
According to him “The Senate resolution is a recommendation, it’s not a law. What the Senate considered is work in progress because it was an interim report”
“The committee issued an interim report and the interim report seemed to indict the SGF, the consequences of that indictment is what they recommended, but we are not there yet because the report itself is interim”
“I hear coming from the SGF that he has not been given a fair hearing, so the hearing has not finished. We can give him an ample of time to go before the committee and clear himself.” he said.
Senator Ndume disclosed that he was at the Presidential Villa as part of routine visit to confer with President Buhari as Leader of the Senate.
“Let new say that my meeting with Mr. President is not a new thing, in that you have been seeing me here in and out for two reasons.
“I’m the Senate leader by the grace of God and two Gen. Buhari, the President is one of my mentors and we have been relating since 2002. So, we normally come intermittently to compare notes on issues”
It will be recalled that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu had last night issued a statement saying that “attention of the presidency has been drawn to a number of reports in the media, in which various accusations of corruption have been levelled against some top officials in the administration”
The statement went further to state that ” President Buhari has instructed the Attorney General of the Federation to investigate the involvement of any top government officials accused of any wrong-doing”
He assured that no one who is liable will escape prosecution ” If any of them are liable they will not escape prosecution”
The Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami who was cited at the Presidential Villa, however refused to speak with Journalists over the directives to investigate the allegations.
