From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday said that it will screen the newly nominated chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in a letter forwarded to the Senate requested it to confirm the appointment of Bawa as the new chairman of the anti-graft agency.
In the letter read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on the floor, President Buhari pleaded for the expeditious consideration of the request.
Accordingly, the Senate President after reading the request to senators, informed that screening of the nominee will be done in plenary ‘for thoroughness it requires.’
‘Distinguished colleagues, screening of the newly appointed EFCC Chairman will be done in plenary in line with our tradition and, in particular, for thoroughness it requires,’ he said.
He didn’t specify when the screening will be done since the communication will have to pass through legislative processes of being listed on Senate’s order paper, upon which the leader of the upper legislative chamber will move a motion for the date of the exercise will be carried out.
In July, embattled former acting EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu was suspended by Buhari for allegedly siphoning funds and assets recovered when he held sway.
The agency had been under the headship of Mr Ahmed Umar in an acting capacity since the suspension of Magu.
