Presidency Speaks on Senate's Demand for Magu's Removal as EFCC Chairman

The Presidency has reacted to the decision of the Senate to suspend screening of INEC RECs in protest against Ibrahim Magu's continued stay as the acting chairman of the EFCC.

Enang, Saraki, Buhari, Kyari

 

The presidency has reiterated on Tuesday that the Senate is an arm of government that must be respected in any decision it takes in the course of exercising its powers as an independent institution.

 

The above decalaration was in reaction to the decision of the upper legislative chamber to suspend the screening of President Buhari's nominees for Resident Electoral Commissioners in protest against Ibrahim Magu’s continued stay in office as the EFCC acting chairman.

 

While speaking in response to the lawmakers, Ita Solomon Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters, said the administration will respect the decision of the lawmakers and pursue dialogue with them.

“We will not question the power of the senators to take decision on how they want to conduct nomination hearings. We will not go fighting with them,” Enang told Premium Times by telephone Tuesday afternoon. 

 

Instead, “we will listen to their grievances and reason along with them,” Enang said shortly after the Senate took the decision to protest Magu’s continued stay in office.

 

Enang however declined to say if the president will now ask Magu to step aside, saying he will “not go into specifics.”