Senate’s rejection of Magu, fight against corruption – Lawyer

An Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr Innocent Daniel, said Senate’s rejection of Ibrahim Magu’s nomination for the chairmanship of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was a fight against corruption.

Daniel said on Thursday in Abuja that the senate’s action was one of the ways to fight corruption, and said that it was commendable.

The senate on Wednesday rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Magu, who has been acting as chairman of EFCC, based on an unsavoury report on him by the Directorate of State Service.

Wednesday’s rejection was the second, after the first in December 2016, for the same reason of security. Buhari re-nominated him and told the senate in the letter that Magu had been cleared of the allegations against him.

The lawyer said that the manner Magu responded to questions during his screening on Wednesday showed his incapability to function in an office which required of him to be above board.

“I don’t think from his answers that he deserves that office. Legally, we don’t have a chairman for the EFCC. He has been rejected for that position; there is no case,” he said.

He said that the Presidency should drop the nomination as it had failed two times, advising that it was not worth generating discord between the executive and the legislature.

Daniel said that there was no inter-agency dispute between EFCC and DSS, noting that each of them had separate responsibilities.

“The DSS has the responsibility to present a report on any individual whose name is sent by the executive and they must be cleared.

“If there is anything that makes anyone unfit for a job, it is the responsibility of the DSS to ensure that there is no conflict. It just simply does what needs to be done.

“The senate doesn’t have to do exactly what the president wants. DSS has the responsibility to investigate and give a clearance and if it carried out that function and found out that Magu is not fit for the job, it has done its part,” he said.

Daniel said that it was certain that there was no influence of the presidency on the senate, insisting on the confirmation of Magu.