The Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday said Magu must answer for all his alleged infractions in order to restore public confidence in the anti-graft agency.
In a statement, titled ‘Fraud: Magu must answer for alleged violations, victimisation and stealing’ by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party called on the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), not to shield the embattled EFCC chairman but ensure that he answers for his alleged offences.
The opposition party described him as unfit to lead an agency like the EFCC and reducing it to a partisan organisation that engages in witch-hunt and thrives on violation of rules, abuse of investigation of processes, manipulation of court procedures and a vehicle to harass innocent Nigerians.
The statement added, “Magu should be made to provide answers to allegations in the public space that he was more interested in securing politically induced convictions rather than justice, for which he allegedly turned the EFCC into a terror house where innocent Nigerians are harassed with trumped-up charges and convicted on media trial even before being allowed to defend themselves in court.
“Nigerians can recall that under Magu the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, was bold to state that once a corrupt person joins the APC, all their sins are forgiven.
“There are also allegations of violation of rights, including allegedly making his victims give statements in custody without the services of their lawyers.”
While urging the judiciary to investigate the alleged connection between the indicted EFCC boss and certain judges handling EFCC cases, the PDP said Nigerians would expect the Federal Government to ensure Magu’s prosecution (if found guilty) and take decisive steps to restore the integrity of the EFCC by ensuring that his replacement is thoroughly screened to avoid the “ills and violations” experienced under the suspended acting chairman.
Magu’s lawyer to Salami Panel: Probe AGF’s alleged involvement in sale of assets
Meanwhile, Magu, through his lawyer, has asked the Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential Panel to investigate the alleged sale of recovered assets by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Magu explained that the AGF, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had no constitutional authority to approve the auction of recovered assets which he said was the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.
Saturday PUNCH had in a report published on July 11 published two separate approvals granted to an auctioneer by the AGF to conduct an open bid for sale of crude oil and diesel as well as five vessels forfeited by illegal bunkering operators to the government.
But Magu, who spoke through his lawyer, Tosin Ojaomo of Ojaomo and Ojaomo chambers on Saturday, stressed that the justice minister had no power under section 174 of the 199 Constitution to dabble into assets management, adding that the law only empowers him to institute and undertake criminal proceedings.
He attributed his client’s travails to detractors who he said were not comfortable with the fact that he (Magu) was remitting money directly to the Federal Government coffers.
Asked if he was demanding the probe of the AGF for alleged involvement in the sale of recovered property, the lawyer stated, “Yes, I’m calling for that; I’m calling for a probe of the AGF. Ladidi Mohammed, head of assets recovery management in the office of the AGF should be brought to the panel to tell Nigerians how much they have managed in terms of assets.”
“On what grounds is the AGF appointing contractors to conduct open bid? You can see that there is a question mark on the company appointed to conduct the auction. There is one Omoh-Jay Nigeria Ltd, according to your report. There is a moral burden. The same person was tried by the EFCC, the same firm was now being picked to sell the assets recovered by the EFCC.”
Asked why the EFCC was involved in asset disposal without AGF’s approval as the supervising minister, the lawyer contended that the commission involved the statutory agencies such as the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit in its auction exercise.
