The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has said that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s statement on the con
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has said that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s statement on the confirmation of acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, was a personal opinion. Likewise the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), who said that the position of Osinbajo on Magu was not a decision of the Federal Executive Council.
Osinbajo had, in an interview a few months ago, ruled out the possibility of President Muhammadu Buhari replacing Magu, whose nomination was rejected by the Senate twice. He had said he aligned himself with the argument of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, that Senate confirmation was not needed for the EFCC chairman based on the provisions of Section 171 of the constitution.
Osinbajo’s statement drew the ire of Senators, who, have resolved to step down all requests for confirmation into executive positions from the Presidency. The senators also asked the acting President to withdraw the statement without further delay. Shehu explained that the statement was Osinbajo’s personal opinion, which he made as the Vice-President when Buhari, who is currently receiving medical treatment in the United Kingdom, was still in the country and is currently being misconstrued.
“A senior lawyer in the country offered an opinion, in which he said some categories of public officers, traditionally cleared by the National Assembly, need not go through that process, that those ones can be appointed through presidential fiat; they don’t have to go through screening. But in his position as Vice-President, Prof. Osinbajo gave a personal opinion, saying what this lawyer said makes sense.”
Shehu added that the Federal Government had not taken a decision that some nominees would no longer be sent to the National Assembly for confirmation. He said since Osinbajo gave the opinion, over 20 nominees had been sent to the Senate for confirmation. Shehu however assured all stakeholders that the current face-off would be resolved through dialogue.
He said, “There is no official position by the government of Nigeria, and the Federal Executive Council never sat down to take a decision to say that some categories of officials will not be sent to the National Assembly any longer. The authority of the Senate, under the Constitution to screen and pass nominees, has never been questioned by the government or the Federal Executive Council. Therefore, this is not a big issue as some people want to make it. The party, government and the National Assembly will sit at a round table and this matter will be discussed and resolved.”
Also, the AGF, Malami said since the council did not at any time take the decision, there was no need to make any clarification about Osinbajo’s statement. The justice minister added, “The fundamental consideration about the alleged statement is the fact that at no point ever did the Federal Executive Council sit down to arrive at the decision in one way or the other as far as the issue of nomination or otherwise is concerned.
“So, I do not think it constitutes an issue for the Federal Executive Council to make any clarification about because it has never been considered by the FEC.”
Punch
