Row in Senate over confirmation of EFCC board members

THE Senate was yesterday forced to step down the consideration and confirmation of members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Tempers flared in the chamber over alleged exclusion of Southeast and Southsouth geo-political zones in the nomination and composition of the EFCC members.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes Senator Chukwuka Utazi presented the report for the confirmation of Ndasule Moses, Lawan Mamman, Galadanci Imam Najib and Adeleke Adebayo Rafiu, as EFCC members.

The committee gave the nominees a clean bill of health and recommended that they should be confirmed accordingly.

Although the committee also highlighted the fact that Southeast and Southsouth geo-political zones had no nominees, it said the nominees should be confirmed.

Senator Victor Umeh raised objection to the confirmation of the nominees and insisted that the report should be stood down.

He said that the Southeast and Southsouth geo-political zones were not accommodated in the nomination.

He noted that the fight against corruption involves all parts of the country.

Umeh said: “The only way to build a united country is by inclusiveness. Today, the Southeast has no representation in the National Security Council.”

The Anambra Central lawmaker said Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, is from the Northeast and the recently confirmed secretary of the commission, Olanipekun Olukoyede, is from the Southwest.

He said it was unbecoming for the President to go ahead to nominate new appointees with the exclusion of the two zones that had no representation in the commission.

He added that Mamman hails from the Northeast where the Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu comes from and Rafiu is from the Southwest, which already has commission secretary.

Umeh said the Senate should not allow the nominations to pass.

Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan said the chamber should go by the recommendation of the committee.

Lawan suggested that the best way to address the situation may be to amend the EFCC law to ensure that it becomes mandatory for all zones to be represented in the commission.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said the violation of the law should not be allowed in any form.

The Abia South senator prayed the Senate to step down the report because the nomination of the EFCC members violated the Federal Character Commission principles.

Utazi fired back that a committee set up by the Senate to submit report on the alleged lopsided appointments in the country has failed to submit its report.

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume said Utazi should be blamed for failing to draw the attention of the leadership to the omission of Southeast and Southsouth in the nomination.

Ndume noted that Utazi, who is from the Southeast should have taken it upon him to inform the Senate leadership about the anomaly.

The Borno South senator also said the matter should have been resolved at the committee level instead of heating up the chamber.

Ndume’s comments did not go down well with Utazi.

Utazi struggled to take the floor to challenge Ndume, but Saraki refused to give him the go ahead.

The Enugu North senator sprang from his seat and attempted to force those hackling to sit down.

“Marafa go and sit down, Marafa go and sit down, Marafa go and sit down,” Utazi continued to shout.

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Senator Isah Hamman Misau joined the fray to shout Ndume down to no avail.

Fearing that the situation might degenerate further, Senate President Bukola Saraki called for a closed session to trash out the issue.

Sources said the matter was robustly discussed at the Executive Session.

When the senators emerged from the over 15 minute closed session, Saraki announced that the Senate resolved to step down the report for another legislative day.