Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki on Tuesday shared a personal encounter he had with acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu during the tenure of former president, Goodluck Jonathan.
Saraki said he and some of his colleagues at the upper chamber of the national assembly were sent to Magu’s office because they opposed some issues.
While featuring on a NAN forum in Abuja, the Senate President, who did not go into details, praised Magu for doing the “right thing”.
“As an individual, I have had a personal experience with Magu, where he stood up for what is right,” he said.
“I remember during the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, where because we were fighting some of the issues then, some of us were sent to the EFCC.
“I remember I was sent to Magu’s office. They were trying to get him to investigate something of 10 years, 12 years ago; I remember Magu said nobody was going to use him.”
Saraki said the screening of Magu was done in the interest of the nation, saying if the senate had an ulterior motive; it would not have aired live on national television for all Nigerians to watch.
The Senate President also blamed Magu’s rejection on a report from the Department of State Services (DSS), among other issues.
“I think there is a lot of misunderstanding and blackmail and all is not in the interest of democracy”, he stated.
According to him, the rejection of candidates presented to the national assembly is a process that is not restricted to the EFCC chairman, noting that it is a process that has to do with the governor of Central Bank, director-general of Lottery Commission, Electricity Regulatory Commission and other relevant agencies.
Saraki maintained that the decision of the senate to reject the confirmation of Magu was in the interest of democracy.
He added that the decision was based on a test which he failed, adding that if the senate had disregarded the DSS report and went ahead to confirm Magu, posterity would judge the members.
