The Senate has insisted that Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu stands rejected noting that a statement credited to the Senate Leader Ali Ndume, to the effect that the Senators have not rejected the nomination of the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu was not correct but wishful thinking.
The Upper Chamber had last week Thursday, declined to confirm Mr. Magu as substantive EFCC Chairman, anchoring it on negative security report from the Secret Police, DSS.
Mr. Magu has been acting since his appointment last year.
But, Senate Leader Ali Ndume, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, said Mr. Magu’s nomination has not been rejected by the Senate.
Reacting to this, spokesperson for the Senate, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, said Ndume was on his own, insisting Magu was outrightly rejected.
Sabi said Ndume cannot speak for the Senate hence, he should be ignored.
His said, “The Senate leader is the Senate leader but I am the spokesman. He can’t do my job and I can’t 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.”
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Asked about the purported two security reports on Mr. Magu from the DSS, Senator Sabi said, “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.
“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 u talk about two reports which one is the second one?
“I heard a report was sent to Ita Enag 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 they have exercised that prerogative.
“We are all guided by processes, if Buhari is going to resubmit the communication for re-nomination he must come with the necessary reports, either negative or positive.
“The report was signed. The senate can’t just get a document from anywhere and work with it. Even petitions are signed let alone serious matters like this”
President Buhari sent Ibrahim Magu’s name to the Senate for confirmation in July 2016, about seven months after he has been acting as EFCC Chairman.
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