A week after President Muhammadu Buhari
wrote to the Senate and cleared the Acting Chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, of corruption, members of
the Senate have called on the Department of State Services, whose
report indicted the nominee, to issue another report to clear him.
According to the lawmakers, the decision
by the Senate was based on the DSS report, which accused Magu of
corruption and malpractice.
The senators also sought to summon the
Director General of the DSS to explain why the agency’s report indicted
Magu while another probe by President Muhammadu Buhari cleared him.
The DSS had concluded in the security
report that confirming the nomination of Magu by Buhari as EFCC chairman
would cause a setback for the anti-corruption drive of the current
administration.
Speaking to our correspondent on
Thursday, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (Imo North) said the DSS boss should
tell the Senate the circumstances surrounding the report which indicted
Magu.
He said, “I am of the opinion that the
DSS should write us or the director general should be invited to come
and either own up or reject the report. He should tell us why an agency
would issue such a security report if its content wasn’t true.”
Senator Adesoji Akanbi (Oyo South) also
said not only should the DSS issue another report to clear Magu, the
secret service should apologise to the Senate for misleading the
lawmakers.
The lawmaker pointed out that the same
agency, whose report indicted Magu, should clear him. He recalled that
every senator went through security screening before being sworn in,
adding that a clearance by the agency was necessary to fully become a
senator.
But Senator Danjuma La’ah (Kaduna South)
said the Senate would work with the first report by the DSS, without
asking for a new one to clear Magu.
He noted that the initial rejection of
Magu’s nomination by the Senate was based on the first report. He said
now that the President had told the Senate to continue with the
confirmation process, the lawmakers would work with the only report sent
by the DSS.
Also, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara
South) pointed out that Buhari did not nullify the DSS’ report on Magu.
He said the President only re-nominated the EFCC boss. He added that the
President’s letter would be treated on merit, since he failed to
include another security report to clear the nominee.
When contacted, the Chairman, Senate
Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, however,
declined to comment on the implication of Buhari’s letter on Magu’s
confirmation. He said the Senate would subject the letter to legislative
process and a decision would be taken on it.
Read more at: The Punch
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