Bukola Saraki, former president of the senate, has said he feels “vindicated” after the court of appeal ruled that Ibrahim Magu’s prolonged tenure as acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was unlawful.
On Monday, the appellate court, sitting in Abuja, overturned
a 2019 judgment of the federal high court which upheld Magu’s continued
retention as acting chairman despite the eight senate’s rejection of his
nomination as substantive EFCC chairman.
A three-member panel delivered the verdict in an appeal
filed by Johnmary Jideobi, a lawyer who had challenged Magu’s continued stay in
office after the senate twice rejected his nomination.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Saraki recalled that the
eighth senate, which he led, rejected Magu’s nomination twice in 2016 and 2017.
“Back in 2016 and 2017, the 8th Senate, under my leadership,
rejected Ibrahim Magu’s nomination as substantive EFCC Chairman not once but
twice,” Saraki said.
“Still, he remained in office illegally until July 2020,
without confirmation by the Senate.”
Saraki said the senate’s decision at the time was not
politically motivated but an exercise of its constitutional responsibility.
“At the time, some called our decision political. It wasn’t.
We were simply exercising our constitutional duty and standing by what was
right,” he said.
Saraki also alleged that members of the eighth senate, their
families and associates faced pressure from Magu after the rejection of his
nomination.
“My colleagues in the 8th Senate and I, as well as our
families and associates, endured what I can only describe as attempts by Magu
to terrorise us,” he said.
He added that taking the position had come at a “huge
personal and public cost”.
Saraki said the latest court ruling had reinforced the
position taken by the eighth senate almost a decade ago.
“Nearly a decade later, I feel vindicated yet again,” he
stated.
Magu served as EFCC acting chairman from 2015 until July
2020 when he was suspended from office.
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