By Chibuike Nwabuko, Abuja
As the plot for the Senate to “accept and confirm Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)”, after he was thoroughly indicting based on credible security reports thickens, the Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) has warned the Red Chamber against a possible constitutional democracy collapse in the face of the emerging dictatorial tendencies of President Muhammadu Buhari.
HURIWA further warned that confirmation Magu, who the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly had earlier rubbished his integrity and credibility, could be a more step towards authoritarianism.
“Confirmation of Magu will make Senate a paper Tiger,” HURIWA warned the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.
In an emailed statement jointly issued by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and its National Media Affairs Director, Zainab Yusuf, on Sunday, HURIWA reminded the Senate that Buhari had already used the Department of State Services (DSS) to harass the Judiciary into cowardly submission.
“The Senate leadership runs the risk of unwittingly turning the national legislature into a mere paper tiger and an appendage of the executive arm of government, should the hierarchy allow the volta face and shameless turn-around to accept again Alhaji Ibrahim Magu for reconfirmation as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“HURIWA believes that converting the National Assembly members into stooges of President Muhammadu Buhari by the inconsistent and contradictory readmission for the purposes of confirmation of a man, who the Senate rubbished his integrity and credibility could be one more step towards authoritarianism.
“Nigerians should hold the senators responsible, should constitutional democracy collapse in the face of the emerging dictatorial tendencies of President Muhammadu Buhari, including the blatant disrespect by the Presidency for the powers of the court system in Nigeria guaranteed under Section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended).
“Buhari had used the Department of State Services to harass the Judiciary into cowardly submission.
“Buhari had, on three occasions, refused to respect binding orders granted by the courts of competent jurisdiction in cases involving erstwhile National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki; Indigenous People of Biafria (IPOB)’s Nnamdi Kanu and Shiites Islamic Movement’s Sheikh ElZaczakky.
“These brazen disobedience of the competent courts, which is an impeachable offence,” it said.
HURIWA also lamented that the legislative sacrilege about to be committed by the Senate in the reconfirmation of Magu as Chairman of EFCC, after damaging security reports surfaced, could spell doom for constitutionalism.
“The ongoing trade-off between the Senate leadership and the Presidency would whittle down the constitutional principles of separations of power and would effectively reduce the legislative arm of government as slaves of the power seeking executive arm of government.
“Does the National Assembly lack self respect that it has decided to revisit its vomit by the subterranean readmission for confirmation of Alhaji Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of EFCC, after the Nigerian public were told in black and white that the security reports from the Department of State Services (DSS) clearly indicted Ibrahim Magu as a man, who allegedly has double life and fraternises with suspects undergoing investigation by the EFCC that he heads as acting Chairman?
“This moral recapitulation and submission will cost the National Assembly the remaining respect it has enjoyed in the eyes of rational human beings globally,” it added.
HURIWA recalled that Buhari has again presented the name of Magu, currently acting as the EFCC Chairman, as his nominee for the substantive chairmanship of the anti-graft agency.
HURIWA, quoting a source at the Presidency, said that Magu’s name had been submitted to the office of the Nigerian Senate President, Saraki.
““I can confirm that President Buhari submitted Ibrahim Magu’s name just before he began a 10-day vacation in Britain on Thursday“,” it quoted the presidential source as saying.