By Anthony Ogbonna
The Senate, Tuesday, stepped down the
confirmation of the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC’e Resident
Electoral Commission, REC, officers over the
what it described as President Muhammadu
Buhari’s refusal to sack the rejected Acting
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
Recall that President Buhari had last week
nominated 27 persons for appointment as
Resident Electoral Commissioners of INEC out
of which two were rejected by the Senate over
corruption allegation and old age.
Recall also that, twice, the Senate had rejected
to confirm Mr. Magu as the substantive boss
of the anti-graft agency following reports from
the Department of States Services, DSS, that
Mr. Magu failed integrity test and as such, is
unfit to head the EFCC.
Although much speculations had sprung up
after Magu’s rejection for the second time that
President Buhari ought to substitute Mr. Magu
with another nominee for the position, the
President has rather not taken any action to
that effect.
Recall also that The Comptroller-General of the
Nigerian Customs Service, Mr.
Hameed Ali had refused to honour Senate’s
invitation to explain a policy of the Customs
which plans to impose duty on old cars in
Nigeria. Recall also that the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir
Lawal had equally refused to honour Senate’s
invitation to explain his role in an alleged grass
cutting fraud involving him.
But in a form of protest, the Senate, during
Tuesday’s plenary, stepped down the
confirmation of the REC officers, saying some
members of the executive arm of the
government want to bring it’s hallowed
chambers to ridicule.
“If the Senate is ridiculed our institution has
been ridiculed, we will try as much as possible
to promote this institution,” said Senator
Anyanwu.

source: www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/breaking-senate-suspends-confirmation-of-rec-officers-over-buharis-refusal-to-sack-magu/

Battle line has been drawn