Senate Vs Magu: Prof. Sagay, Keyamo And Others React To Court Judgement Against Magu

Notable legal practitioners have reacted differently following the judgement by a Federal High court upholding Senate power of confirmation.

Prof. Itse Sagay

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Itse Sagay has reacted to yesterday's judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja which stated that senate acted within the law when it screened and rejected Magu’s nomination as EFCC chairman.

Reacting, Sagay said the judgement will have no effect.

Sagay said: “I don’t expect that the judgment will have an effect on Ibrahim Magu’s status as Acting EFCC Chairman. I don’t expect that there’s anything externally that is going to affect Magu’s position.

“I don’t know whether the judge considered Section 171 of the Constitution which even allows the President to appoint heads of agencies like Magu’s agency without any reference to the Senate. That is already there, so I don’t know what was brought to the court’s attention. When we see the full judgment we will be able to express our opinion."

Another notable legal personality, Festus Keyamo noted, among others, that the law did not prescribe a time limit for Magu to remain in an acting capacity.

Keyamo said: "The fact that the law has not circumscribed the amount of time or the time period that someone can act as the head of an agency, it would mean therefore that I see no legal problem at all in Ibrahim Magu continuing to act as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, there is no legal impediment at all.”

However, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Vice President Monday Onyekachi Ubani asked the executive to do the right thing.

He urged the executive to “respect and obey the judgement of the Federal High Court unless they have secured a contrary judgement from the appellate courts.”