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The gang that frustrated Magu’s confirmation

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* They are controlling the president, Junaid Mohammed

By Ishaya Ibrahim

Acting News Editor
 
A long list of actors at the presidency and Senate crippled the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 14, 2016.  
 
Leading the pack is President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, followed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, President Buhari’s principal adviser, Mamman Daura, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Lawal Daura and Senate President Bukola Saraki.
 
Senate spokesman, Sabi Abdullahi, announced after a two-hour closed-door meeting in the Senate president’s office that Magu would not be confirmed.  

“The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to inform the general public that based on the security report available to the Senate, the Senate cannot proceed and confirm the nomination of Ibrahim Magu Mustapha as the Executive Chairman of the EFCC. Accordingly, the Senate hereby rejects the said nomination and has returned the said nomination to Mr. President for further action,” Abudullahi said.
In June 2016, radical politician and Second Republic Lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed, had accused the gang of working against Magu’s confirmation as substantive EFCC chairman.
 
“These are the boys (Magu and his colleagues) who are doing the job and they are doing it so well that Mamman Daura, Abba Kyari and the Secretary to the Government and some other people around Buhari are determined to get rid of the chairman, Mustapha Magu because he took this mysterious Sahara Energy oil company and he froze the account,” Junaid had alleged.
 
Sahara Energy was an oil services firm owned by billionaire businessman, Jide Omokore, who is currently in the eye of the storm over some shady oil deals he had with former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison Madueke.  
 
Junaid Mohammed accused Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari of being directors of the company and because they failed to prevail on Magu to defreeze the account of Sahara Energy, they swore to work against his confirmation.
 
In a follow up phone interview, Junaid Mohhammed reiterated his charge against the men.
 
“first and foremost, I said what I said in June about Magu because I knew that the cabal around Buhari was not interested in an independent chairman of the EFCC.
 
“They have not minced words. Mamman Daura has insisted that this is his government and the government of his uncle. Kyari has been known to have, after a couple of alcoholic drink, claim that they are going to halt the anti-corruption war because they are the ones who control General Buhari.
 
“Similar reckless statements have emanated from the SGF, Babachir Lawal.
 
“I also knew that as much as Buhari was appreciative of what the acting chairman was doing, he is very much under the control of the cabal,” he said.
 
Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Debo Adeniran said failure of the Senate to confirm Magu was shameless and disgraceful.

Although we knew it was going to be like making a camel pass through the eye of the needle for the acting Chairman to be made substantive, but at least we gave a benefit of doubt because we felt that, even among thieves, there should be honour,” he said.  
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