Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has said the recent 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 position taken by the Eighth Senate under his leadership.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Monday, overturned a 2019 Federal High Court judgment that had upheld Magu’s continued stay in office despite the Senate’s rejection of his nomination as substantive EFCC chairman. The ruling followed an appeal filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who had challenged Magu’s continued tenure.
Reacting to the judgment, Saraki recalled that the Eighth Senate rejected Magu’s nomination twice, in 2016 and 2017, but that he continued to serve in an acting capacity until July 2020.
Saraki said the Senate’s decision was not politically motivated but was an exercise of its constitutional responsibility.
He also alleged that members of the Eighth Senate, their families and associates faced what he described as attempts by Magu to “terrorise” them following the Senate’s position.
According to him, taking the position came at a significant personal and public cost, but the latest judgment had reinforced the stance taken by the Senate nearly a decade ago.
“Nearly a decade later, I feel vindicated yet again,” Saraki said in a statement reacting to the ruling.
He added that the development offered a broader lesson for public officials, saying that time could test a person’s convictions but could ultimately reveal the value of standing by one’s principles.
Magu served as acting EFCC chairman from 2015 until July 2020, when he was suspended. The Court of Appeal ruling concerns the legality of his former acting tenure and does not affect the current leadership of the anti-graft agency.
