Court judgement: Sagay, Keyamo, speak on Magu’s fate

Some senior lawyers have expressed their views on Ibrahim Magu’s status as Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following Thursday’s ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Justice J. T. Tsoho ruled that the Senate acted within the law, when it screened and rejected Magu’s nomination as EFCC chairman.

“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,” Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay, said.

Another senior lawyer, Festus Keyamo, noted: “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.”