The Senate has said that the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu must go and that it will not back down on i
The Senate has said that the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu must go and that it will not back down on its decision to reject his appointment. It said it will also not rescind its decision to suspend further consideration and confirmation of appointments made by the Presidency over the position taken by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo that some appointments did not require legislative approval.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly also stated that it had no need to clarify its statutory powers on the confirmation of appointments made by the President, while asking the executive to approach the Supreme Court for judicial interpretation of Section 171 of the Constitution cited by Osinbajo. The legislature said since it was the Presidency that was contending with subjecting appointments made by it to legislative approval, the executive was in the best position to approach the Supreme Court for judicial interpretation of roles.
The Senate had on Tuesday moved against the Presidency over the retention of Magu as acting chairman of the EFCC despite his rejection by the legislature. They insisted that Magu must go. In protest, the lawmakers decided to suspend further consideration and confirmation of appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari based on Osinbajo’s claim that the President was empowered to make some appointments without seeking legislative approval as provided in Section 171 of the Constitution. They also asked the Acting President to retract the statement.
In a related development, the Senate had said it had no plan to impeach Osinbajo as reported by a section of the media. The Senate’s spokesman, Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, said the lawmakers were clear on their decision and it should not be misinterpreted.
He said, “This issue does not require any further clarification. Our statement was very clear, straightforward and unambiguous in what it said. Those who made the report should provide the details. But what we said was very clear; our resolution was clear, to suspend further confirmation of appointments made by the Presidency until Osinbajo retracts his statement that some appointments did not require the approval of the lawmakers.
“Magu was brought to us for confirmation, and on the basis of damning reports from the Department of State Services, we rejected him twice. It is left for Nigerians to see and we have done our part,” he added.
Minority Whip of the Senate, Senator Sola Adeyeye, has also denied knowledge of plans by the Senate to impeach Osinbajo over his insistence on Magu as Chairman of the EFCC. According to him, there is no plan to install the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, as the acting president of the country.
“Sadly, rumours are being peddled that senators are being steered in a ploy to heighten a Saraki-Osinbajo conflict to a point where the Acting President can be impeached, so that Saraki can take over as Acting President. I am not aware of such a ploy within the senate. More importantly, I dare say that were such a ploy to exist, it would woefully and precipitously fail. What matters, therefore, is that Prof Osinbajo must not be misled into siding with those talking as if their own views are the views of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
Punch
