TheCable

Osita Okechukwu, director-general of Voice of Nigeria (VON), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to seek confirmation of Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as substantive head of the commission.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesman, said Okechukwu made the call when Magu visited his office.

The VON office is one of the properties forfeited during the anti-graft war.

The acting EFCC chairman was appointed in November 2015, following the sack of Ibrahim Lamorde.

But the senate had repeatedly rejected Magu’s nomination following his alleged indictment for infractions by a report of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The VON director-general said Magu deserves to be confirmed as EFCC chairman following the achievements of the commission under him.

He said the record shows that greater impact could be made in the war against corruption, if the government confirms his appointment.

Okechukwu expressed appreciation to Buhari for approving the ownership of a forfeited property for the VON.

“Accordingly, for Magu having passed through the crucible, for Magu having contained the furnace of corruption merchants that fight back on a daily basis, for Magu having endured the murder of his Police guard and all manner of atrocities, we earnestly plead with Mr. President to please CONFIRM  Magu’s Chairmanship. The confirmation we reason will spur Magu to cover harder grounds and assuage those who cite lopsided anti-graft war,” he said.

“In 2019, by God’s grace, VON became a landlord, the owner of this imposing corporate headquarters, courtesy of President Buhari’s anti-graft war in which Magu is a frontline commander. Without your dexterity and selfless service, we could not have been a prime beneficiary of this historic anti-graft war.”

In reaction, Magu expressed humility and appreciation to God who made it possible for VON to “benefit from the impact of the anti-graft war”.

He expressed resolve to carry on the mandate thrust on the EFCC with greater strength and courage.

“I feel highly honoured but humbled as well by the comments made by the Director-General,  Mr. Osita Okechukwu on the efforts we are making at the EFCC, to confront and conquer the menace of  corruption in our nation,” he said.

“I thank the Almighty Allah for granting us strength and courage to do the work.  We are modest in stating our achievements  because we are getting impressive results every new day.  We have more successes than the  available reports of our efforts in the public domain.

“We will continue to do our best.  We will also continue to urge our fellow Nigerians to see the anti -corruption fight as a collective fight.  It is only public  ownership of the anti-graft war that can offer every Nigerian the involvement needed in the war.”

Senate first rejected Magu based on a DSS report in December 2016.

The anti-graft czar was accused of corruption ‎and “gross violation of human rights”. He was also alleged to be in possession “of undeclared pieces of property.”

After denying all the allegations, Buhari renominated him in January 2017, but he was again rejected.

Meanwhile, Magu had said the refusal of the senate to confirm him is an indication that he is carrying out his duties judiciously.