A civil rights activist, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to shop for a replacement to the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, and send the name of a nominee to the Senate for confirmation.

He explained that the call became imperative following the rejection of Magu by the Senate and affirmation of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that the Senate has constitutional power to confirm the nominee of Mr. President.

He, however, warned Prof. Itse Sagay against encouraging President Buhari to disobey court Judgments at will. He advised Sagay not to lay a bad precedence by saying that the judgment of the Federal High Court over Magu’s status cannot stand.

Sulaiman, who is the Executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) added that the pronouncement of any court of competent jurisdiction is sacrosanct on any matter until a higher court in the land says otherwise.

The rights activist also advised Sagay not to allow his present position (advisory role) to becloud his sense of judgment on the issue of national importance, urging him to advise President Buhari right on the controversy surrounding the appointment of Magu because the matter has been temporarily laid to rest with the ruling of the Abuja High Court.

Sulaiman in a statement made available to Journalists on Sunday, commended Nigeria judiciary for doing justice to the controversial national issue and also commended the court for being alive to its responsibility as the last hope of the common man and final arbiter on any issue of this nature.

His words: “It is an under thought to think that the Federal Government could not find a suitable replacement for Mr. Ibrahim Magu, out of millions of Nigerians. There are many Nigerians who are credible and can lead the anti-corruption agency to an enviable height. President Buhari should for once try to obey the Court Judgment in the interest of our hard earned democracy.

“Nigeria is not a banana republic where anything goes. There are stipulated laws guiding our society and the government and its people ought to abide by rule of law as basic ingredient of any democratic society.

“It is time for President Buhari to do the needful by replacing Magu with another nominee without further delay.

“Whether a court Judgment favoured us or not, we should try to abide by it until a higher court says otherwise and this is the only way we can deepen our democracy.”

The activist recalled that on January 15, 2018 Justice J.I. Tosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja gave Judgment that the Senate has statutory duty to confirm nominees referred to it by Mr. President and as a result of this, the Senate President had requested from Mr. President to send another nominee in replacement of Magu in line with the judgement of the Federal High Court which affirmed the Senate powers to confirm or reject the President’s appointment.

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