Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has said the Senate will never
confirm Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), because some Senators have skeletons
in their cupboards.
On Wednesday, the Senate refused to confirm Magu for the second time in three months.
In a statement released on Saturday, MURIC’s director Ishaq Akintola,
said: “Senate has shown that it is not fighting corruption. On the
contrary, it is fighting for corruption by rejecting a firebrand
anti-graft boss, it has exposed itself as an institution with skeletons
in its cupboard.
MURIC also said that Godswill Akpabio, a representative of Akwa Ibom
North-West, had allegedly said: ‘Magu wants us to confirm him so he can
use some of us for peppersoup’.
He noted that, “Akpabio’s alleged utterance confirms our worst fears.
This senate will not confirm any EFCC boss who refuses to withdraw
cases involving its members. This Senate will not confirm any anti-graft
boss who is not ready to treat senators as sacred cows even if they are
corrupt.
“Our suspicion has been confirmed by senator Akpabio. Now we know why
senate rejected Magu. It is simply because our senators hands are not
clean so they fear a no-nonsense anti-graft boss.”
MURIC further expressed their disappointment by the Senate’s decision
to frustrate Magu’s confirmation, saying that the “Senate has
demonstrated its readiness to kill EFCC and any other anti-corruption
agency that has the temerity to investigate its members.
“The issue is not even Magu this time around. We also entertain the
fear that these senators will not allow any other EFCC boss to function
effectively even if Magu is removed.
“Senate does not want any agency investigating fraud anywhere around
the red chamber. Senate wants its members to be untouchable.
“The first rejection of Magu was meant to serve as a yellow card from
the senators and the message was clear, “Back off or we will never
confirm you.
“The excuse used by Senate to deny Magu that confirmation is neither
here nor there. Somebody somewhere is playing Jekyll and Hyde.”