Again, senate defers Magu’s screening after 5-month delay

The senate has deferred the confirmation hearing of Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) — after initially delaying the exercise for five months.

On Wednesday, Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, had announced that the exercise would commence on Thursday, but it was not the listed on the agenda of the upper legislative chamber for the day.

However, a senior national assembly official told TheCable that the screening exercise would take place next week.

‎The official said the anti-graft czar would be screened on December 15, a day after President Muhammadu Buhari would have presented the 2017 budget to the national assembly.

‎”The screening of the acting EFCC chairman was postponed to December 15 because most senators who wanted to participate in the exercise went on oversight functions, and since the president is coming next week, we expect a full house and full participation,” he added.

In July, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had forwarded Magu’s name to the senate for confirmation.

At the time, President Muhammadu Buhari was on a 10-day vacation in London.

But the senate did not consider or confirm the appointment of the EFCC boss, fuelling speculations of cutthroat wrangling between him and some key figures in Buhari’s government who want him out of the way.

He is to be screened alongside the board members of the anti-graft agency — Nasule Moses, Lawan Maman, Garandaji Imam Naji and Adeleke Adebayo Rafiu.

Buhari appointed Magu in November 2015 to succeed Ibrahim Lamorde, who was removed as EFCC chairman under controversial circumstances.