By Ignatius Okorocha
The Senate on Tuesday at plenary received President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for the confirmation of Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa nomination as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a letter to President of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, the President said he was acting in accordance with Paragraph 2(3) of Part1, CAP E1 of EFCC Act 2004.
The letter which was addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, was read during the start of plenary yesterday.
Bawa, aged 40, who holds a B.Sc degree in Economics, and Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy, is presently the Head of Operations of the Commission’s Lagos office.
After his confirmation by the Senate, Bawa is expected to take over from Mohammed Umar Abba, who was appointed as Acting Chairman by President Buhari last year, following the suspension of the immediate past Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, immediately after reading the President’s request, said that the screening of Abdulrasheed Bawa as substantive Chairman of the Anti-graft agency will be carried out during plenary in line with the tradition of the Upper Chamber.
“The screening of the Chairman-designate of the EFCC will be done in plenary, in keeping with our tradition here,” he said.
Recall that Mr Bawa’s nomination came almost one year after the former EFCC Acting chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu was suspended from office by the presidency to enable Justice Ayo Salami probing allegations of sleaze leveled against him to conclude investigation and tender its report to the President.
In his absence within the last one year, a senior staff EFCC, Mr Muhammad Umar has been acting as chairman of the commission.
Also recall that Dr Bukola Saraki led 8th Senate rejected the request of President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of Magu as substantive chairman of EFCC twice within three months between 2017 and 2018 based on allegations raised against him by the Directorate of State Security services( DSS).
