Senate refuses to confirm Buhari’s EFCC nominees over exclusion of South-East/South-South

The Senate refused to confirm Buhari’s EFCC nominees during the Tuesday plenary session, over the exclusion of South-East/South-South in the appointment.

The alleged lopsided appointment had Ndasule Moses, Lawan Mamman, Galadanci Imam Najib, and Adeleke Adebayo Rafiu, as its nominees. The Senate refused to confirm Buhari’s EFCC nominees, after the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes presented to the Plenary its finding on the nominees.
The lawmakers who noted that South-East and South-South were not represented in the Commission, added that only one of the nominees was from the South-West, while the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, is from the North.

Vanguard reported that Senator Victor Umeh told the lawmakers present that “this makes a total of four people from the North; the South-East and South-South are not accommodated in this Commission.”

He argued that, “It is important that we include all regions in governing roles and in the fight against corruption, as it involves us all.

“All geo-political zones should be included in this Commission.

Supporting Umeh, another senator, Matthew Urhoghide, noted that the distribution was wrong.

“Let us delegate people to look at the distribution of these appointments. I suggest that this matter be stood down while it is looked into”

However, Senator Ahmad Lawan advised the lawmaker to pass the nominations as presented, but noted that all geo-political zones needed to be represented. The Senate thereafter went into Executive Session, which lasted for 25 minutes.

At the Executive session, the Senate agreed that the confirmation of the EFCC nominees should be suspended for further legislative input.