By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke
ABUJA—THE Senate, yesterday, drew the battle line with the Presidency as it suspended for two weeks, the screening of 27 persons President Muhammadu Buhari nominated for the office of Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs.

President Buhari,Ibrahim Magu and Bukola Saraki

The decision was to protest its displeasure with the continued retention of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, despite his failure to get Senate confirmation.

The Senate’s action received mixed reactions from lawyers, ranging from support to disagreement on the point that the President’s seeming reluctance on Magu should not make the Senate abandon its constitutional duty.

During the two-week suspension, Senate President Bukola Saraki is expected to meet with the President to resolve the issue of Magu, who was, yesterday, described by a senator as a terror to them.

The Senate had penultimate Wednesday refused to confirm Magu after screening the acting chairman of the anti-graft agency. The Senate rejection nonetheless, Magu has continued to act in that office, a development that drew the ire of the Senate, yesterday. It then resolved to stand down  confirmation hearing of the 27 REC nominees.

The Senate is also not happy with the Presidency over comments by the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, who was alleged to have described the exercise of the Senate in screening nominees of the Executive as mere confirmation.

Before plenary, yesterday, the Senate had met in a closed-door session where the Senate position was rehearsed.

Senate President, Saraki, at the end of the session, said the Senate resolved to defend the integrity of the upper chamber as an institution against external attacks.

A source told Vanguard that at the meeting, the Senators resolved to confront anyone who tries to rubbish it as an institution.

According to the source, the Senators discussed the issue of plans by a senior presidency official recently indicted by a Senate panel to organise a protest against the legislative body.

The tone of yesterday’s action at plenary was set by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP, Delta North), who pleaded that for the nation’s democracy to be protected, the Senate should step down confirmation process of the RECs since some of them are acting, alleging that President Buhari’s appointees were disrespecting the Senate. He also condemned comments by Professor Sagay that the Senate’s role in appointments was “merely” to confirm.

He said: “Recently in this Senate, we have dealt with the issue of confirmation and where are we today?  The chairman of the Presidential Committee on Anti-Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay went to the press and said the Senate merely confirms.

“Today, we have now been given a list to confirm. Look at the list, we have eight of them here out of 27, eight of them are for re-appointment which means they are acting already, they are already working and they are still in position.

“My position on this matter is that since our confirmation is ‘merely’, let us suspend it until we now know whether we have the power as given to us by the constitution to look into confirmation matters or any other status,” he submitted.

Also speaking, Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo South), said since the executive didn’t feel there was the need for the parliament to approve, it should as well suspend the consideration of the request for the REC’s confirmation.

Senator Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central), however, disagreed with Nwaoboshi and Urhoghide on the note of the approaching 2019 elections.

He said: “I rise to oppose what my two colleagues have just said now for the reason that there is already an impression that is created particularly by the media that the INEC is not ready for the conduct of 2019 election and 2019 election is very crucial to us and the preparation and the conduct of the 2019 election includes the submission of resident electoral commissioners to the Senate for screening and approval.”

In his contribution, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo East), expressed concern that the Senate was being ridiculed by the Presidency.

“If the Senate is ridiculed, our institution has been ridiculed; we will try as much as possible to promote this institution.”

Corroborating his colleagues who had called for suspension of hearing confirmation of the list,  Deputy Senate Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena (APC, Edo North), said Magu was terrorising them and should be stopped from acting since he was not cleared by the Senate, just as he disagreed with Aliero.

“Magu is terrorising us because we disqualified him and we cannot hide it. We disqualified Magu and  he is still acting and they are still bringing in list for us to confirm. If they know they can do it alone, let them do it.”

Deputy Senate leader, Bala Ibn N’Allah (APC, Kebbi South), pleaded with his colleagues that suspending consideration should be for one week, just as he suggested that within the one week, the Senate President would have interfaced with the executive regarding  continued retention of Magu as acting EFCC chairman.

“I share the sentiments of my colleagues on this issue. I am in great difficulty to disagree with more convincing reasons as to why I think the Senate will thread cautiously on the request by my colleagues for us to stand down this. I think this matter is going to be referred to the committee; we still have enough time”, he said.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu urged his colleagues to allow  suspension of the request for only two weeks rather than indefinite suspension to enable the Senate President meet with President Buhari to communicate the sentiments of the Senate concerning Magu.

Ekweremadu, who noted that there was no provision in the constitution in which the President is granted the powers to retain the nominees rejected by the Senate in acting capacity, however, argued that the case of Magu was a violation of the constitution of Nigeria.

At the end of the day, Senate President Saraki, ruled that the request be suspended for two weeks to enable the Senate leadership meet and discuss with President Buhari on the need to obey resolutions of the Senate.

But in a swift reaction, the Presidency said it will always listen to the legislators and the Senate as an institution.

Speaking with Vanguard, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang said: “We appreciate the Senate, we don’t quarrel with them. We have listened to them, we have taken the points they have made and we will always listen to them and work with them because they are an arm of government.

“They are an institution, they are not a parastatal, we respect that. So I will be communicating that. “

Lawyers react

Lawyers responded diversely to the development, yesterday.

This is era of tit-for-tat —Yusuf Ali, SAN

“We are in a season of tit for tat. The Senate has issues with Customs boss and the Customs are suddenly now looking for or running after the vehicles of senators, either private or official. Senate rejected the confirmation of EFCC acting chairman, they are also withholding confirmation or screening of electoral officers. That is why I said we are in season of tit for tat.

“It is very interesting. It is sometimes like that around the world. It shows that our democracy is growing and maturing. This is  politics of the legislature and the executive. You can see what is happening in America where Trump in his first move against Obamacare. All these dynamics make democracy grow.”

They can’t leave their constitutional duty because of Magu—Ubani

Mr Monday Ubani, 2nd Vice President of the NBA: “The Senate can’t leave their constitutional duty  because Mr President refused to carry out their recommendations on acting EFCC chairman, Magu.

“What they need to be looking out for is the implication of such steps. For them to say they will not do this or do that because somebody refused to carry out instruction will not be healthy. After all, the President has not reacted officially on Magu.”