Magu: Senate’s confirmation process invalid – SERAP

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has questioned the constitutional validity of the confirmation process leading to the rejection for the second time of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a statement yesterday signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni the organization said, “The rejection of Magu as chairman of EFCC by the Senate on the pretext of conflicting and inconsistent reports on him by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is a slap in the face of Nigerians who are victims of grand corruption.”

According to SERAP, “The Senate ought to have critically engaged with the two reports by the Department of State Services (DSS) and provided Magu with meaningful opportunity to be heard.”

“Rather than working together to promote and enhance the independence, integrity and effectiveness of the EFCC, both the presidency and the Senate would seem to have failed to pursue this legitimate governmental purpose and international requirement, and implicitly, constitutional measure.”

SERAP therefore urged President Buhari to demonstrate genuine political will to fight corruption by urgently resolving the contradictions and inconsistencies in his presentation of Magu for confirmation by the Senate.