Former Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has frowned at the refusal of the Upper Legislative Chamber to confirm Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Featuring on Channels Television, the lawmaker said if the senate could refuse to confirm Magu based on allegations against him then Bukola Saraki who has facing trial for alleged falsification of assets declaration should not be the Senate President.
According to Ndume, “We have all been accused, I have been accused of sponsoring Boko Haram, the senate president is still going to court.
“Same as other members who have cases in court, yet they occupy seats in the senate. So, if you say because of the allegations he (Magu) should not be confirmed, then I should not be a sitting senator and Saraki should not be there as senate president.
“The president I know is not the kind of person that would interfere in such matters. I would have been surprised if the president discussed the issue of confirmation when he met the leaders of the national assembly recently, that would have led to the issue of lobbying for him to be confirmed.
“There is no crime against lobbying, in fact we are supposed to lobby. I lobbied most of the senators but sometimes you keep on learning because this is kind of new. A government where you (APC) are in the majority and the president re-nominates a candidate, and also in a situation where the issue at stake is an accusation; in the normal circumstance and by our constitution, accusation is not conviction.
“The issue now is not the house in his name, it’s a house called the safe house and that was prompted because after his acting appointment and the rigorous work he is doing, you can’t afford to have somebody like that living in Karu or a densely populated area.”
Recall that the senate had on Wednesday refused to confirm Magu as EFCC boss, following a report from the Department of State Services, DSS, claiming that he failed an integrity test.
However, Senator representing Katsina North Senatorial District, Bukar Mustapha explained that the rejection of Magu was not due to DSS report.