Former Nigerian Senate President Bukola Saraki says a Court of Appeal ruling declaring Ibrahim Magu’s prolonged tenure as acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) unlawful has vindicated the Senate’s earlier position.
Saraki made the remarks in a post on X on Tuesday, recalling how the eighth Senate, under his leadership, rejected Magu’s nomination as substantive EFCC chairman twice, in 2016 and 2017.
Despite the rejections, Magu continued to lead Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency in an acting capacity until July 2020, prompting a legal challenge over the legality of his extended tenure without Senate confirmation.
Saraki maintained that the Senate’s decision was not politically motivated but an exercise of its constitutional responsibility, despite criticism at the time.
He also alleged that he, his colleagues and their associates faced intimidation during Magu’s tenure, describing their experiences as attempts to terrorise them.
The former Senate president said the appellate court’s decision had reinforced the Senate’s position on the importance of constitutional procedures in appointing the head of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency.