Ali Ndume, former senate majority leader, says if the senate could refuse to confirm Ibrahim Magu, as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) based on allegations leveled against him, Bukola Saraki who has a case in court should not be the senate president.
Citing a report of the Department of State Services (DSS), the upper legislative chamber rejected the nomination of Magu.
The DSS had said Magu was unfit to lead the commission because he had failed an integrity test.
But speaking on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, Ndume faulted the action of the senate.
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“We have all been accused, I have been accused of sponsoring Boko Haram, the senate president is still going to court,” Ndume said.
“Same as other members who have cases in court, yet they occupy seats in the senate. So, if you say because of the allegations he (Magu) should not be confirmed, then I should not be a sitting senator and Saraki should not be there as senate president.”
Ndume said knowing the kind of person President Muhammadu Buhari is, he would be surprised if the president mentioned Magu’s confirmation during his last meeting with leaders of the national assembly.
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Buhari met Saraki and Yakubu Dogara at the presidential villa in Abuja, a day to the day Magu was rejected at the senate.
“The president I know is not the kind of person that would interfere in such matters. I would have been surprised if the president discussed the issue of confirmation when he met the leaders of the national assembly recently, that would have led to the issue of lobbying for him to be confirmed,” he said.
“There is no crime against lobbying, in fact we are supposed to lobby. I lobbied most of the senators but sometimes you keep on learning because this is kind of new. A government where you (APC) are in the majority and the president re-nominates a candidate, and also in a situation where the issue at stake is an accusation; in the normal circumstance and by our constitution, accusation is not conviction.
“The issue now is not the house in his name, it’s a house called the safe house and that was prompted because after his acting appointment and the rigorous work he is doing, you can’t afford to have somebody like that living in Karu or a densely populated area.”
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Ndume, who said he conducted personal investigation on Magu, absolved him of the allegations.
Commenting on the eloquence of Magu, Ndume said: “The bottom line is that we are trying to fight against corruption and if we ask: ‘is Magu doing his job?’, the answer is yes, undoubtedly. He is not an actor, he is a policeman doing investigation. He is not supposed to talk about what his job is in an articulate manner, it’s not important. What he is doing is not a TV show.”
There were complaints, particularly on social media, that Magu performed below expectation during the screening.
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16 comments
Your comment..senator ALi ndume talk true, no problem they will re-sent it against.
please kindly join me in imploring all media houses that can conduct online polls, to conduct a poll to determine if majority of Nigerians want Magu as the head of EFCC. this way, we can send a message to our representatives, who claim they are speaking our mind, the pictures of the expression of our hearts.
The truth is bitter. Corruption is clearly fighting back.
Senator Ali ndume, u are supported bcos saraki and others their hand is not clean
Your comment..no one from the lawmakers were freed, they were accused in one way or the other
No any senator that speaking his people mind
Screening Magu through is like signing their death warrant, they all have skeletons in their cupboards and are scared of Magu.
The Nigerian Senators will never accept Ibrahim Magu as EFCC Chairman, simply because majority of them are still nursing the ambition of 2019 election as political gladiators, and they knew themselves as corrupt politicians, so they will not accept him.
They fear Magu to head EFCC, cos’ he filed their cases & waiting for the time.
When you fight corruption , corruption fight you back
The issue of Magu’s rejection by senate is taking a new dimension. We are now learning the politics, that is why all havoc are coming up. But I think it is a high time for our Political Philosophers to shade more light on the matter. Political & Policy Analysts as well as Lawyers has to come out with a clear interpretation of different articles contained therein the 1999 constitution, in this regards with a view to finding a fruitful solution to the problem at hand.
Meanwhile, let me go straight to the issue of national development. This country cannot be develop without a good leadership and qualitative representation. We suppose to consider putting the right persons into the right positions so as to ensure quick transformation of our dear nation. In this juncture, I will like to plead with the National Assembly to consider the interest of the nation above their own personal and self aggrandizement.
You are absolutely right. Mr Ndume. If the Senate reject Magu’s confirmation base on allegations on him. Saraki should also vacate his sit as Senate president, and also many members should move
Your comment..senators reject Magu because they are under investigation.
The said Dino melaye who thinks that his position was not peoples mandate, but is his right he should know that his days in the senate is numbered, we will meet in 2019 to decide.
On the side of senate president, only Nigerians can accept somebody with questionable characters to chair the red carpet.
The type of fearless, incorruptible, selfless… human like Magu who can handle this terrible job of,,efcc is quite scarce. Who else could buhari nominate?
Your comment..U are absolutely correct. I strongly support d move.