Why we refused to confirm Magu, says Saraki

Outgoing Senate President of the Senate in the 8^thNational Assembly, Dr. Bukola Saraki has explained why the senate refused to confirm the appointment of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The Senate Leader who spoke on Monday at the ongoing orientation for newly-elected members of the Ninth National Assembly, in Abuja explained that there are 13 cases pending in court which delayed his confirmation.

He said; “On EFCC, there are about 13 cases in court, and I don’t know why they’ve not moved, but there are cases.

“But, there’s no doubt that the Senate has powers of confirmation. But, we have to look at political solutions to such issues.

“This issue will certainly come in the Ninth Assembly, and you have to deal with them,” he noted.

According to the PDP stalwart, the Executive-Legislature squabble can be solved via a political solution, just as he noted that the greatest challenge confronting the National Assembly is negative public perception.

While referring to the events which characterised the June 9, 2015, inauguration of the Eighth Assembly, Saraki admonished the new lawmakers not to attend any meeting outside the National Assembly on the day the Ninth Assembly would be inaugurated.

“If they call you for meeting anywhere, don’t go. Stay in the National Assembly, that is where the election (of presiding officers) will hold,” Saraki stated.