EFCC Chair: Replace Magu Now, Activist Tells Buhari, 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 Judgment at will, advising Sagay not to lay a bad
precedent in our democratic life by saying Judgment 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.