Magu stands rejected, says senate

Sabi Abdullahi, chairman, senate committee on media and public affairs, says senate’s rejection of the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) still stands.

He made this known in an interview with NAN on Friday.

Abdullahi was reacting to a statement credited to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo that Magu would remain as EFCC chairman under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

But Abdullahi said there is no going back on the position of the upper legislative chamber.

“The senate has already made its resolution, and our resolutions are official statements,” he said.

“And most times, based on how we communicate, we don’t go to press immediately because somebody has made a statement; we usually discuss issues.

“You know before we made that resolution the issue was debated. It is not because the executive has said something, we will react to it.  We discuss issues first.

“That is what makes up an institution. Nobody in the senate is expressing his individual opinion. We are expressing the opinion of the senate its stand and its position.

“We have given it a resolution. For now, that is what subsists, and until we get a response, otherwise officially, we are not going back.”

The lawmaker called on all arms of government to respect the rule of law for the deepening of the democracy in the country.

“Let us work in the interest of Nigerians. We have made a point, a point which is clear,” he said.

“He was brought to us for confirmation, and on the basis of damning reports from the DSS, we rejected him twice. It is left for Nigerians to see and we have done our part.”