Senate refuses to confirm EFCC Chairman

Ibrahim Magus confirmation hearing as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should have taken place today.

However, information filtering into the Pulsenewsroom suggest that the Senators aren't keen on getting Magu confirmed.

Magu's confirmation hearing wasn't listed on the Senate Order Paper for the day's business, leaving members of the EFCC who had thronged the National Assembly complex for the occasion, to exit the premises in droves.

During Wednesday's plenary, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu announced that Magu's confirmation hearing will take place on Thursday (today).

In June this year, the Presidency had written the Senate, seeking the screening and confirmation of Magu as substantive chairman of EFCC.

The President's letter wasn't read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, until a month later.

Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption,Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has slammed the Senate's delay tactics as it concerns the confirmation of Magu.

Sagay said: “This will not stop the fight against corruption. An acting chairman is a chairman whose position has not been approved by the Senate but he is still the chairman. He has all the powers of the chairman. So, they can delay it but all it amounts to is a psychological war.

“As an acting chairman , if you are worried, it can affect you psychologically but this will have no effect on the anti-corruption war because it doesn’t stop his power.”

ALSO READ: Sagay slams Senate for delaying confirmation of EFCC boss’ appointment

Buhari appointed Magu as acting chairman of the EFCC following the removal of Ibrahim Lamorde on Nov. 9, 2015.

Before his appointment as the acting EFCC chairman, Magu was the head of Economic Governance Unit of the commission.

Magu has secured over 145 convictions as acting EFCC Chairman.

There are insinuations in certain quarters that the lawmakers aren't favourably disposed to confirming Magu as EFCC Chairman because he's gone against most of them in the course of his job in an acting capacity.

A spokesperson of the Senate has told Pulse that: "we will screen EFCC Chairman and and other nominees of the commission on Thursday, December 15 at 11am. A formal letter on the latest development has been sent to EFCC."