Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada The Senate has denied any attempt by state governors to stop the confirmation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Members of the Senate, who spoke to our correspondent in separate interviews, denied being sponsored by governors of their respective states to frustrate Magu’s confirmation.
It had been speculated that governors were not happy with the probe being conducted by the EFCC on how they spent the N522bn Paris Club loan refund, hence the move to scuttle Magu’s confirmation.
But governors, under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, had on February 16, 2017, rose from an all-night meeting, saying they were ready for the probe being conducted by the EFCC on how they spent the N522bn Paris Club loan refund.
The Chairman, NGF, who is also the Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, challenged the anti-graft commission to conduct the probe and come up with its report.
The governors were reported to have been in talks with senators in their respective states to frustrate Magu’s confirmation.
But the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, dismissed the report as mere speculation.
He said the confirmation of Magu was pending until after the passage of the 2017 Appropriation Bill.
He said, “The issue there is that as far as this issue (confirmation) is concerned, we have never had any discussions on it. It is a very practical speculation. For us in the Senate, we have been working very hard on the budget and after that, whatever issues before us will be tackled. I will not take issues with those who are speculating.”
The Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, a Peoples Democratic Party member from Ekiti State, denied being told by Governor Ayodele Fayose to work against Magu. She said the PDP had no reason to prevent the Acting EFCC Chairman from being confirmed, since the party was not in power.
