It is getting clearer that Nigeria will see no progress with a Senate under Bukola Saraki as president. On Friday the Saraki-led Senate chose to remain on a collision course, at the country’s detriment, on the issue of Ibrahim Magu as EFCC Chairman when the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sabi Abdullahi, said Senate’s rejection of Magu nomination as Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission “still stands“.
Mr. Abdullahi was responding to a statement credited to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo that Magu would remain EFCC chairman so ong as Muhammadu Buhari’ is president.
Osinbajo, who was represented at the inauguration of EFCC office in Kaduna on Thursday by Gov. Nasir el-Rufai, had said that the Presidency had resolved to work with Magu to stamp out corruption in the country.
But it appears that the Senate would not accept that and move on to other more pressing national issues, at least in the interest of the country.
Abdullahi said, “the Senate has already made its resolution, and our resolutions are official statements.
“And most times, based on how we communicate, we don’t go to press immediately because somebody has made a statement; we usually discuss issues.
“You know before we made that resolution the issue was debated. It is not because the executive has said something, we will react to it. We discuss issues first.
“That is what makes up an institution. Nobody in the Senate is expressing his individual opinion. We are expressing the opinion of the Senate, its stand and its position.
“We have given it a resolution. For now, that is what subsists, and until we get a response, otherwise officially, we are not going back.”
The lawmaker called on all arms of government to respect the rule of law for the deepening of the democracy in the country.
“Let us work in the interest of Nigerians. We have made a point, a point which is clear.
“He was brought to us for confirmation, and on the basis of damning reports from the DSS, we rejected him twice. It is left for Nigerians to see and we have done our part,” he said.
However, majority of Nigerians believe that the senators are merely using the so-called security report as excuse to reject Magu, who is seen as unusually uncompromising in the fight against corruption. Many of the senators are being probed by the EFCC for corruption.
This apart, an online news network, Saharareporters on Wednesday reported that Presidency sources say that Saraki has formed an unholy alliance with a cabal within Aso Rock Villa determined to cause confusion and disorder rather than witness Osinbajo assume full presidential powers.
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