Magu: Why I did not appear before panel, by Malami

THE Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) has broken his silence on his refusal to appear before the Ayo Salami-panel on Thursday.

The panel headed by Justice Salami is probing Ibrahim Magu, the suspended boss of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Malami had boasted about two weeks ago that he would gladly honour the invitation to testify before the presidential investigative panel if invited.

Naija Times had reported how Malami on Thursday had refused to honour the invitation extended to him by the panel.

However, few hours after he declined the invitation to appear before the panel as a witness against Magu, Malami through his media aide, Umar Gwandu, said that the terms of the invitation extended to him by the panel run contrary to constitutional provisions.

The statement read in part, “The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN has said that his non-appearance at Justice Ayo Salami Panel of Inquiry probing the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, was purely Constitutional and not based on any ulterior motive.”

He said appearing as a witness before the panel must be done within the provisions of the constitution, adding that his office empowers him to serve a supervisory role.

“In establishing propriety or otherwise of the presence of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice whose responsibility is to hold constitutional order one must root same within the constitutional provisions,” the statement read.

“The terms and wordings of invitation extended to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to Justice Ayo Panel of inquiry against Magu runs contrary to the Constitutional provisions.

“The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is by the provision of the Constitution and extant laws empowered to serve supervisory role.

“In the case of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been discharging the role effectively.”