Senate Did Not Reject the Nomination of Magu, Says Senator

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The last may not have been heard about the purported rejection of Ibrahim Magu’s nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While some senators would want Nigerians to believe that the confirmation had been rejected by the upper chamber of the National assembly, others are crying foul.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Senator David Umaru, is one of the senators saying the issue of Magu’s confirmation has not been discussed at plenary.

Umaru yesterday in Minna stated that “the issue of Magu was never voted on in plenary. So as far as I am concerned, Magu’s nomination was never rejected.

“If somebody says it was rejected, it is probably mistake, for me, I have not voted. The senate operates by rules, and the rule is that such matter must be presented to us either by the committee or through direct interaction with the members in plenary, but none of this has happened.

“The issue of Magu was discussed only in the executive session of the Senate; it was not an issue discussed at plenary so anything done in the executive session is not the same thing that is done in plenary. So as far as I am concerned, on the issue of Magu, the consideration of his nomination was never considered by the Senate.”

Umaru who represents Niger East senatorial district in the Senate disclosed that the matter had been referred to the presidency to “do due diligence because of the conflicting reports from the Department of State Services (DSS) on the matter.”

On the issue of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the federal lawmaker said due process was followed to arrive at the decision taken.

“The SGF case was a work done by the committee and was presented to the Senate. It was the decision of the majority based on the resolution passed.”

Senator Umaru also described as untrue the claim that the Senate was working against President Muhammadu Buhari.