The senate has yet again rejected the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Magu was rejected after the senators voted against his confirmation on Wednesday.
Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, had cited a fresh security report from the Department of State Services (DSS).
“In the light of the foregoing, Magu has failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption stand of the current government,” the SSS report, read by Melaye, stated.
Although Magu had answered to the satisfaction of lawmakers earlier questions he was asked, senators challenged his suitability given the report against him by the SSS.
Magu on his own questioned the credibility of the SSS which he said dispatched two reports on him with varying contents same day. “What do you say about credibility of that agency?” he queried.
He said he was never invited by the SSS to defend the allegations against him. “There was no fair hearing,” he said.
Facing Melaye, he said, “We were fighting corruption together before you came to this house and turned against us.”
Earlier before the fresh report was raised, Magu had absolved himself of culpability in respect of the SSS allegations in the earlier report – though he had wanted to dodge the question that he should defend himself.
“I would answer but I don’t want to say something that will cause bad relationship between sister agencies,” said Magu, explaining he had responded to the allegations in writing.
However, Senate President Bukola Saraki insisted he must answer “so that we will be guided” after which Magu said it was true he was reprimanded and detained after official documents were found with him outside office.
“If you don’t carry official files (to your house), you can’t do the work,” said Magu, explaining the nature of his work, heading “two offices” at the time.
He said after his travail he had been promoted twice.
Also on the allegation that he resides in a house rented for him by Mohammed Umar, a retired air commodore accused of corrupt practices, Magu said “that’s not true”.
He said his official residence at Maitama was rented for him by the FCT authorities for ease of his work, following intervention of an undisclosed senior official in the presidency.
“I was not part of the process and I don’t know how much was paid. I don’t even know when the rent started or will expire,” he said.
After the questioning, the Senate President put Magu’s confirmation to a voice vote. Majority of the lawmakers said No to his confirmation and the Senate therefore rejected it.
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