Following Wednesday’s non-confirmation of acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, investigations have revealed that Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki and others indicted in an interim report by the EFCC over the controversial handling of the $4bn Paris Club windfall, have been allegedly fingered as the arrow-heads behind Magu’s ordeal at the Senate.
Following this revelation and findings, sources in the Presidency confided in The New Diplomat that the Presidency is considering retaining Mr Magu in acting Capacity as the Chairman of the EFCC to continue with his work at the anti-graft agency.
Said an insider: “ The whole thing has link with the Paris Club windfall deal in which the EFCC investigated the scam and discovered that Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki was mentioned and accused of being a beneficiary in the sharing deal. There were subtle threats that the report should be withdrawn otherwise the Senate would activate its machinery to ensure that Magu is not confirmed. There was even a subtle complain to the presidency by the leadership of the Senate but the Presidency was not interested and would rather ask Magu to continue with his job.’’
It would be recalled that the Senate had out-rightly rejected Magu and declined to confirm him as substantive Chairman of the EFCC following the submission of his name by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate for confirmation. This latest rejection makes it twice that the upper chambers would be declining the confirmation of Magu based on a report from the Department of State Security Services which indicted the EFCC boss. The report accused Magu of being unfit to hold that sensitive position. With this latest development, it is not clear how the game would play out, The coming days would certainly be quite interesting.
