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Senate disowns Ndume over SGF, Magu, insists EFCC boss was rejected

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The Senate, SERAP, Ibrahim Magu and the Dearth and Death of CSO’s in Nigeria

The leadership of the Senate has dissociated itself from recent comments associated with Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume.

This is coming barely twenty four hours after Ndume, said that the Red Chamber did not reject the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Spokesman of the Senate, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, said Ndume’s claims were null and void.‎

Addressing a press conference, Sabi said that the position of the Senate was that the nomination of Magu has been rejected and has been returned to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Abdullahi said Ndume who serves as the Senate Majority Leader, cannot speak for the Red Chamber.

Ndume had maintained that though Lawal was recommended for sack over the alleged fraud in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, the Senate did not give a directive to the executive.

On Magu, he said the Upper Legislative Chamber only demanded some clarifications from President Muhammadu Buhari, following a report received from the Department of State Services (DSS).

‎But reacting on Tuesday, Senator Sabi said: “The call to national duty is crucial. So I am here based on series of calls and text messages from you about what you thought are conflicting messages. It has become critical for the Senate to clarify issues. The 8th senate believes in its integrity; we uphold and promote the rule of law which is the basic thing about our democracy. We are committed to doing things differently to stabilize the polity in the collective interest of Nigerians.

“I would like to make the following clarifications. I am holding the votes and proceeding of Thursday. We had two votes and proceeding because we had to go into joint session to receive Buhari.

Read also: Ndume in hustle to save EFCC boss Magu’s job

“Our votes and proceedings are the official records of what transpired in chamber. I briefed you on Thursday to the effect that the senate is announcing that in view of security reports we were unable to confirm Magu. We then rejected and returned the nomination to Buhari for further action.”

Sabi noted that “media reports emerging especially from interviews granted by Senator Ndume meant that we have to clarify issues. For the records, I am the official spokesman of the senate and I intend to discharge this with honour and integrity because the sanctity of the institution is crucial to the sustenance of democracy.”

According to the Senate spokesman, “I have only one point of reference, which is, the votes and proceedings. The senate deliberated on the nomination of Magu for the position of EFCC Chairman with regard to security report available but referred the other nominees for screening since nothing much was found about them.

“This is the only official position of the senate. What I say, I say on behalf of the Senate. Nigerians should be guided. There is no ambiguity in what we said.

“Senate is an institution and we are working with the Constitution and whatever rules we use, are drawn from the constitution. We also want the media to be guided in the matter because of some misleading news in the public domain.”

Sabi continued, that “Even with respect to the indictment of the SGF, the Genesis was the motion raised by Kaka and Ndume and the Senate decided to take a look at the abuses and SGF was found to be part of the abuses.”

He however made it clear that the Senate considered the only security report submitted to it and took its decision pointing out that the Senate was not aware of any other report.

“Truth is sacrosanct. For every line of command there is a line of communication, for the records, the leader that I know is Saraki and administrative leader is the Clerk to the Senate.

You may also like: SERAP defends Magu, says allegations baseless, political, wants UN intervention

“As a routine, when you have a nominee, security report should be given. The report we are talking about was sent to the Acting Clerk of the senate. If you talk about two reports which one is the second one? I heard a report was sent to Ita Enang (the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters) but I am not holding brief for him. He is a liaison officer and if there is any communication Saraki or clerk are in charge.

“It will be unfortunate for anyone to say that Senate will be subjected to a report sent to the liaison office. This does not undermine his office, he is one of the highest ranking officers. Let us not bring Ita Enang to a cross fire. It is the prerogative of the senate and it has exercised that prerogative,” Sabi submitted.

The Senate declared that should the President intend to re-nominate Magu, it must be based on due process of the law.

“We are all guided by processes, if Buhari is going to re-submit the communication for re-nomination he must come with the necessary reports, either negative or positive. The security report was signed. The Senate can’t just get a document from anywhere and work with it. Even petitions are signed let alone a serious matter like this.

On the opening crack in the Senate, Sabi said: “The senate leader is the senate leader but I am the spokesman he can’t do my job and I cant do his job. He is my leader but we have different responsibilities. Occasioned by what he said, if people are making meaning from what he said I am here to clarify.

“Nigerians are looking forward to all of us to take them out of recession. The media should also be guided to create environment for leadership to avoid tension.”
By Ehisuan Odia….

 

 

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0 Comments

  1. Emmanuel Alayegbami

    December 21, 2016 at 8:29 am

    I am sure buhari has no pleasure in magu again as well so please let’s forget magu’s issue.

    • JOHNSON PETER

      December 21, 2016 at 8:42 am

      I urge president buhari to appoint a new person as the efcc boss to avoid partiality and favouritism because magu won’t dare touch any corrupt senator if he is approved.

  2. seyi jelili

    December 21, 2016 at 8:48 am

    We need to probe ndume and magu . both of them must have shady business they are doing together. Sincerely we have no transparent government in this country. Everyone is corrupt.

    • Margret Dickson

      December 21, 2016 at 9:38 am

      This country has been corrupted from time immemorial. We are used to the corruption already, that’s why it will be very difficult for Buhari or anyone to fight against corruption. Fighting corruption in Nigeria is synonymous to performing a miracle to wake up someone who died over 40 years ago, is it possible?

    • Amaka Okoro

      December 22, 2016 at 5:55 am

      Na now you know say our government are corrupt. That means you they sleep before then. Aboki wake up

  3. Johnson Amadi

    December 21, 2016 at 9:35 am

    Hahhahahahah…. Ndume has collected money from Magu

    • Amarachi Okoye

      December 22, 2016 at 5:51 am

      Stop saying that but he speak for truth ok

  4. Animashaun Ayodeji

    December 21, 2016 at 9:45 am

    “Nigerians are looking forward to all of us to take them out of recession,” are we even sure this recession was not artificially created by Buhari’s government to rubbish previous administration? I don’t trust these people at all. It is like they are using Nigerians to play politics

    • Roland Uchendu Pele

      December 21, 2016 at 4:14 pm

      What good will it do the Buhari-led government to create an artificial recession to give past governments a bad name? I don’t think so. The hunger in town shows this is real.

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