EFCC: What Senate Said About Magu’s Confirmation As Chairman
Ahmad Lawan has said the Senate does not have any request to confirm the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu.
Naijaparry understands that the 8th Senate on March 15, 2017, turned down the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the EFCC over security reports against him.
Speaking on Thursday when the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC) Itse Sagay visited him at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Lawan noted that there should be a new request for Magu’s confirmation.
“I want to assure you that any request that comes from Mr President is a request that will make Nigeria a better place in terms of appointments or legislation,” he said.
“And the Senate will act expeditiously to ensure that we play our part in the confirmation or passing of legislation appropriately.
“You have talked about the passage of anti-corruption bills, you have come to the right place but you will also do your work.
“This is a new Senate. Going by our rules and I believe that goes for the House of Representatives too, any issue that was not concluded in the last National Assembly will have to start all over again.
“So, as far as we are concerned, those bills will have to come again and start to go through the process from the very beginning.
“We are ready, in fact, we are in haste if those bills are ready for us to start working on them.”
On his part, Sagay said Magu had done well and deserves to be made the substantive chairman of the anti-corruption body.
“We also want to bring before the Senate, some of the criticisms of the public in the area of oversight,” he added.
“There is this constant complaint that members of committees demand some form of gratification before they would visit a place or write anything favourable about the ministries, departments and agencies.
“We appeal to the leadership to look into it and ensure that the oversight work of the Senate does not involve anything that will be described as extortion.”