Fact have emerged on how the support for Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission consumed Senator Ali Ndume, who was removed as Senate Leader on the floor of the Senate and replaced with Senator Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday.
The All Progressives Congress caucus on Tuesday wrote the Senate demanding the replacement of Ndume with Lawan.
Investigation by The Eagle Online revealed that Ndume, who had been in the bad book of “powers that be” in the Senate over his closeness to the Presidency, was relived of his position due to his support for Magu as the Chairman of EFCC.
Some of senators who belong to the caucus of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, believe Ndume has been undermining Saraki in the Presidency.
The Senate had last year rejected the appointment of Magu as the substantive chairman of the EFCC over “negative security report” submitted on him by the Department of State Services.
But Ndume had said after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa: “We did not reject Ibrahim Magu as EFCC Chairman.”
However in a counter reaction, Abdullahi Sabi, the Senate’s spokesperson, on Tuesday reaffirmed the Senate’s position on Manu’s rejection.
“This is the official position of the Senate,” Sabi emphasised.
Investigation by The Eagle Online revealed there was no official meeting by the APC Senate caucus, but a meeting within the inner caucus of Saraki to remove Ndume as some APC senators said they were not invited to the meeting.
It was gathered that those who signed the caucus letter did so on Tuesday morning.
Reading the letter on the floor immediately after the motion for adjournment was moved, Saraki said the emergence of Lawan as the Leader of the Senate was as result of a separate meeting held on Monday.
The letter, titled: “Notice change in leadership,” reads: “We want to inform Your Excellency and that after a separate meeting held on Monday, January 9, we want to notify you of a change in the leadership. Senator Ahmad Lawan is the new Senate Leader.”
Ndume, while addressing newsmen, said he was not aware of his removal because he was not consulted by the leadership.
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