Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari

Muhammadu Buhari, was inaugurated as the President of Nigeria on May 29, 2015, succeeding Goodluck Jonathan. Buhari, the All Progressives Congress nominee, was a former military head-of-state, and general in the Nigerian Army. His running mate, is Professor Osinbajo, the former Attorney-General of Lagos state, inaugurated as Vice President of Nigeria on the same day.

Domestic Policy[]

Economy[]

Treasury single account (TSA)[]

In August 2015, Buhari started the implementation of the TSA. This was done in order to centralise the revenue collection of the various government parastatals. The administration believes that the TSA would help reduce corruption within the Federal government. The administration estimated that it has saved taxpayers N5.244 trillion by February 2017.^[1]

Anti-corruption war[]

The administration has demonstrated a strong commitment to the anti-corruption war. Running on a manifesto promising to curb and adequately prosecute corruption, believing it hinders economic growth and development.^[2] Buhari's economic policy has been perceived as being somewhat incoherent given the long periods it took him to fill his Cabinet positions.^[2] Apart from constituting the Professor -led Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption mandated to advise his administration on the prosecution of the anti-graft war and the implementation of required reforms in the nation’s criminal justice system, Buhari also sent to the Senate the Money Laundering [Prevention and Prohibition] Bill 2016 and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill 2016 in order to lend credence to his anti-graft crusade. The administration has scored some victories by retrieving over $300 million in looted funds from Sani Abacha's Swiss account.^[3][4]

Personnel[]

See: Cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari

Controversies over appointments, nominees and confirmations[]

Ever since the emergence of the 8th senate of Nigeria, many appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari has been denied confirmation.^[5][6][7]

The EFCC boss appointment[]

Ibrahim Mustafa Magu was nominated for appointment as EFCC Chairman in November 2015.^[8] But has been denied confirmation and this brought the topic to public as the issue becomes more persistent since 2017.^[9][10] The exact terms of section 2(3) of the EFCC Act are significant and worthy of note as it is the appointment, not the nomination, that is subject to Senate confirmation, neither is it a condition precedent to the validity of the appointment.^[11]

In December 2016, the Senate refused to confirm Magu as EFCC Chairman over a report from the DSS which alleges that Magu wines and dines with the corrupt. And in March 2017, Magu heads to the senate again for confirmation as EFCC Chairman but was turned down again with the most vocal rejection voices from Senator Dino Melaye and his colleague, Biodun Olujimi. Olujimi flared, "Why prosecute people on the pages of newspapers?" as Melaye said he has failed "the integrity test" pushed at him over a security report they received from the DSS.^[8]

The Senate President denied the refusal to confirm magu to be based on a report they received from the DSS as earlier reported by the house majority leader. He said in an interview with TVC News in Morocco where he attended an African summit on climate change and food security, that it is based on his failure to pass his screening exercise which they are not personalize or politicize.^[12]

Controversy over his removal[]

In some reports, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Petitions, Ethics and privileges, Senator Samuel Anyanwu said that Nigeria Senate no longer regard Mr. Ibrahim Magu as Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was also reported to have said that there are massive petitions against the EFCC, but they could not invite Mr. Magu because he was no longer seen as the acting Chairman. The lawmaker further said his committee would use 2018 budget defense to track down Magu.^[13]

Involvement of The Executives[]

In April 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo tells select online journalists at the Villa that the executive didn’t need to send Magu to the senate for confirmation and that Magu will remain EFCC Chairman. In July 2017, Senate asked Osinbajo to withdraw the statement that senate lacks powers to confirm Magu and despite all threats, Osinbajo continues to throw his weight behind Magu as Magu insists “I cannot be distracted with those things. Nobody can purchase me, I cannot compromise what I am doing.”^[8]

Involvement of the Court[]

An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has affirmed the decision of the Senate to reject Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. According to the ruling by Justice John Tsoho, the applicant was wrong in its assumption that the Senate was only there to confirm any choice made by the executive. The judge said the Senate has the powers to ensure that only suitable persons are appointed to the position of chairperson for the anti-corruption agency. Consequently this suit is struck out.^[14]

References[]