Magu Can Only Quit if Buhari is Removed—Osinbajo

By Dipo Olowookere

Acting President, Mr Yemi Osinbaji, has maintained that nobody can remove Mr Ibrahim Magu as the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as long as Mr Muhammadu Buhari remains President of Nigeria.

Mr Osinbajo made this declaration on Thursday, July 6, 2017, while commissioning the Kaduna office of the anti-graft agency.

The executive and the legislature have been at loggerheads in recent times over Mr Magu acting as Chairman of the Commission for several months.

He has had his nomination rejected twice by the Senate. This week, the red chamber said it would no longer screen nominees from the executive if Mr Magu remains in office.

But speaking today, the Acting President, who was represented at the commissioning by the Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, advised those thinking they were winning in fighting back against the government’s war on corruption to wake up from slumber.

“Mr Chairman, two weeks ago, I discussed the EFCC and your appointment with President Muhammadu Buhari and he told me he has every confidence in you and every confidence in the commission and the work that you have been doing, and as long as he is president you remain the chairman of the EFCC,” the Acting President said.

While addressing the gathering, the Kaduna Governor said, “Last night, I spoke with the Acting President, who reconfirmed the position of the President and told me that as long as he remained the Acting President or Vice President, Ibrahim Magu would remain the chairman of the EFCC.

“That is the only message from the President, so those thinking that corruption is winning this war, Magu would remain their nightmare for the next two years or six years as the case may be.”

He said further that, “We applaud the leadership of the EFCC for taking the significant step to establish a state office in Kaduna.

“I assure you that you can continue to count on us in Kaduna to support the commission in every facet of its activities.

“We have set aside land for your training school awaiting the submission of your application.

“We have also set aside land to build your staff housing estate, if you so require.”