The biggest threat to corruption in Nigeria - Ibrahim Magu

The biggest threat to Corruption in Nigeria: Ibrahim Magu, Chairman, EFCC Nigeria When you are faced with Government officials who believe it is their birth right to be corrupt and there are inexplicable wealth amongst Government officials, you need a no –nonsense Anti-corruption Chief.

By Ben Omoakin Oguntala, African in Chief, Security in Africa, Anti-Corruption Commission UK Ben.oguntala@securityinafrica.com

Introduction I once described him as the bravest man in Africa, Ibrahim Magu, Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Chief, EFCC and I stand by it. He has just been endorsed by the Acting President of Nigeria to remain in place for the duration of the current presidency. This is a significant step due to the fact that if the current chief has his way, there will be a significant overhaul of the political structures and the constitution of the political powers in Nigeria by the next election in 2019.

There are a growing number of people and groups in Nigeria who are vehemently opposed to the subsistence of Mr Ibrahim Magu as the Chief of the EFCC and this paper will explore whether these group of people are justified in their opposition to his appointment or do they have something to hide?

No Administration can ever say it is 100% on Anti-corruption, however, there has never been a more committed Government in Nigeria dedicated to fighting corruption and during the tenure of the current Government, there has been as number of revelations about the underlying principles and key steps or stages within the cycle of anti-corruption.

The chief amongst those that oppose Mr Magu is the Senate itself and the most vocal protagonist amongst the senators is Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi West. What does the Senate have against Magu?

The Senate against Ibrahim Magu

Source – http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/230855-corruption-prevalent-nigeriasexecutive-arm-not-legislature-senators.html On the afternoon of Wednesday, March 15, 2017, the Nigerian Senate flatly rejected President Muhammadu Buhari's nominee for the position of Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

It would be the second time in three months that Ibrahim Magu--acting EFCC Chairman--has been so rejected.

Back in December of 2016, the Senate cited a security report from the Department of State Security (DSS) when it handed Magu the marching orders.

That report alleges that Magu wines and dines with the corrupt, resides in a plush apartment rented at N40M (an amount well above his pay grade) and flies business class.

Senator Melaye https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkzSUV3sE68 The Senate wish to inform the public that based on available security report, the Senate cannot proceed with confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission", Abdullahi said.

"The nomination of Ibrahim Magu is hereby rejected and has been returned to the President for further action."

It was Deja vu Wednesday for Magu in 2017.

The embattled acting EFCC Chairman arrived the national assembly well ahead of schedule, flashed a pained smile this way and that and readied himself for his confirmation hearing.

He didn't have to wait for too long.

Minutes later, the lawmakers had rejected him again.

The most vocal rejection voices came from flamboyant Senator Dino Melaye and his truculent colleague, Biodun Olujimi.

"Why prosecute people on the pages of newspapers?", Olujimi flared.

Melaye said the Senate had received yet another security report on Magu from the DSS and that the President's nominee had failed "the integrity test". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNznxvxSJO8&t=63s From that moment, Magu was a goner. He should have known.

By popular vote, the Senate rejected Magu.

Again.

Senator Ali Ndume was the lone voice in a sea of angry Senate voices demanding that Magu be thrown out of the Senate chamber.

How they hated him.

The majority of Senators pined for Magu's head on a platter.

You could almost touch the animosity with a felt pen.

Magu was like the Sheep before a pack of Hyenas who bayed for nothing else but some blood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YNAvTc_wg8 Melaye even went as far as demanding that Magu stepped down immediately for the ranking officer in the EFCC to take over.

Minutes later, Pulse spoke to a senior official in the Buhari presidency to find out how the administration took in the day's event.

What was the mood like at the Villa?

The official craved anonymity for this story because he hadn't been authorised to comment on the subject.

"This is corruption fighting back", said the official flatly.

"We knew it would come to this. They (Senators) are against Magu because he has their corruption case files. Magu has the dossier on Senate President Bukola Saraki and several other serving Senators.

"Magu is about to re-commence the prosecution of former Delta Governor James Ibori who has just returned to the country and Ibori is close friends with Saraki and several other senators", the official added.

But the reports indicting Magu came from the DSS. And the DSS, like the EFCC, operate from under the executive.

You certainly can't blame the Senate entirely when Magu's alleged persecution is coming from within the presidency, Pulse shot back at this official.

"Yes, we know there is a report from the DSS, but it isn't enough to disqualify Magu", said the official. "What is in the report are mere allegations and until he is found guilty, it is silly to turn down his nomination on the basis of a report".

However, even the official would later concede that the DSS had handed the Senate the rod for Magu's back. That they got help from the DSS. Pulse was told that the presidency would put its house in order after Wednesday's humiliation.

Pulse has also been able to confirm in the past that DSS boss Lawal Daura and Magu are sworn enemies who agree on practically nothing.

Sources say the breakdown in their relationship has gone beyond an inter-agency rivalry.

On what Buhari will do next following his latest defeat at the hands of the legislative arm of government, this senior administration official told Pulse that the President will call the bluff of the lawmakers and persist with Magu as anti-graft czar.

"He's (Magu) doing a good job that's why they loathe him", said the official. "We were elected to fight corruption among other objectives and it's understandable if corrupt persons won't like the man who is out to get them. The report they cited is only a small part of what the DSS sent across.

They forget that the President has prerogative powers and can override whatever ill-conceived motion they throw up.

"Were you surprised that Senator Melaye who is a staunch ally of Saraki, was the most vocal voice?

Nigerians really should demand their country back from these guys. That so called security report was only a smokescreen to further their own interests".

Emerging from the Senate chamber with a slightly drooped shoulder and laboured gait after his rejection, Magu still managed to portray the picture of a man who hasn't given up his job.

He looked unflustered.

On the corner of his lips, emerged a wry smile.

If he was putting up a brave face for the cameras, he nailed his first acting gig, big time.

"My priority is to fight corruption. My non-confirmation has not changed anything. We have always been on duty. I will work until the last day whether confirmation or no confirmation", Magu vowed with the defiance of a man who still has the President's backing.

“The greatest violation against human rights is crime against the society. Everybody has a duty and responsibility to fight corruption and I also have that responsibility. I assure you that we will fight to the finish,' Magu said. “We will never be deterred because what we are doing is trying to investigate what has gone before and protect the future of our children and our future generation.

"So, if we don’t work today and fight against corruption, the future is not guaranteed, the future of our children is not guaranteed".

Magu also threw the lawmakers a gauntlet and said he wasn't handed a fair hearing before being kicked out the door.

"Any time you discover that I am corrupt, expose me.

"You know, you can’t just raise mere allegations without giving the person opportunity to answer you. There is issue of fundamental human rights and the right of fair hearing is there", he bristled.

Pulse has also been able to independently verify that most members of the President's kitchen cabinet do not like Magu and would love to see the day when he is kicked out from the EFCC.

The President's Chief of Staff (CoS) Abba Kyari and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal are battling corruption allegations of their own and Magu is not known to hold back when he sinks his claws into a case, one source at the EFCC told Pulse, Wednesday night.

SGF Lawal has enjoyed Buhari's backing even though he's been accused by the Senate of awarding a N200M grass cutting contract to himself.

CoS Kyari has been occasionally called out for receiving kickbacks from members of the public in exchange for appointments and meetings with President Buhari.

All of these allegations remain largely unproven.

Lawal and Kyari at FEC meeting (Presidency)

There are fears from within this group of persons (otherwise called members of the cabal) that Magu is sniffing around and could hasten their exits from the administration.

A presidency source confided in Pulse that Buhari is on his way to replacing Kyari and Lawal, with former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole pencilled for a role in the Buhari administration.

Magu replaced Ibrahim Lamorde as boss of the anti-graft commission in November of 2015.

He's carried on in an acting capacity since that time.

On Magu's watch, the EFCC has recovered a chunk of stolen funds from past government officials but is yet to score a high profile conviction.

The senate's decision to reject him twice in quick succession, is seen as a blow to President Buhari's anti-corruption war, in certain quarters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63aTZBrmO_E

Nigerian EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu and Kenyan Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Halakhe Waqo in London 2017.

The 2019 election

If EFCC enforces its rule that anyone under EFCC investigation cannot run in the 2019 Elections, then the effect will be that almost 90 – 95% of people that hold political offices in Nigeria would be weeded out, making such an achievement the single most effective overhaul of the Nigerian political system and the most effective means of bringing change to the perennial corruption in Nigeria.

This is the real reason why most of those in Government passionately strive to get rid of Ibrahim Magu and one of the reasons why he stands as the biggest threat to corruption in Nigeria.

EFCC Chief with Ghanaian Anti-Corruption Commissioner and Kenyan Anti-Corruption official.