EFCC Chair: Activist tells Buhari to replace Magu, warns Sagay against Disobedience to Court Order

A renowned civil rights activist, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to shop for replacement of the Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu with substantive nominee by sending the name of such nominee to the upper chamber of the National Assembly for confirmation.

He explained that the call became imperative in a democratic Nigeria, following the rejection of name of Mr. Magu by the Senate and affirmation of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that Senate has constitutional power to confirm the nominee of the Mr. President.

He however, warned Mr. Itse Sagay against encouraging President Buhari to disobey the court Judgement at will, advising Sagay not to lay a bad precedent in our democratic life by saying Judgement of the Federal High Court over Magu’s status could not stand.

Comrade Sulaiman, who is Executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) added that the pronouncement of any court of competent jurisdiction is sacrosanct on any matter until the higher court of the land says otherwise.

The rights activist also advised Mr. Sagay not to allow his present position (Advisory role) to becloud his sense of judgment on the issue of national importance, urging him to advise President Buhari right on the controversy surrounding the appointment of Magu because the matter has been temporarily laid to rest with the ruling of the Abuja High Court recently.

According to Sulaiman in a signed statement made available to Journalists on Sunday, he commended Nigeria judiciary for doing justice to the controversial national issue and as well commending the Court for being alive to its responsibility as the last hope of common man and final arbiter on any issue of this nature.

His words: “It is an under thought to be thinking that the Federal Government could not find a suitable replacement for Mr. Ibrahim Magu, out of millions of Nigeria people. There are many Nigerians who are credible than Mr. Magu that could lead the anti-corruption agency to an enviable height. President Buhari should for once try to obey the Court Judgment in the interest of our hard earned democracy.

“Nigeria is not a banana republic where anything goes. There is stipulated laws guiding the operational of government in our society and the government and its people ought to abide with rule of law as basic ingredient of any democratic society. This is high time for President Buhari to do the needful by replacing Magu with another nominee without further delaying. It is uncalled for; by Mr. Itse Sagay to say a judgment of Court of competent jurisdiction could not stand. Whether a court Judgment favoured us or not, we should try to abide by it until the higher court says otherwise and this is the only way we can deepen our democracy”.

It would be recalled on January 15th, 2018 that Justice J.I. Tosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja had given Judgment that the Senate has statutory duty to confirm nominees referred to it by Mr. President and as a result of this, the Senate President had requested from Mr. President to send another nominee in replacement of Magu in line with the Federal High Court which affirmed the Senate powers to confirm or reject the President’s appointment.

Credit: Social Justice Equity