The Senate has rejected the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Spokesman of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi, told members of the Senate Press Corps that the Senate cannot continue with the confirmation hearing of Magu due to a security report sent to it by the Department of State Service, DSS.

Sabi said that the Senate will return the nomination to President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The Senate wishes to inform the public that based on available security report, the Senate cannot proceed with the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” the Senate spokesman said

“The nomination of Ibrahim Magu is hereby rejected and has been returned to the President for further action.”

A post on the social media handle of the Senate, however stated that “the Senate confirmed the nomination of the other 4 Members of the EFCC and referred them for further security screening.”

Earlier on Thursday, the process of the EFCC chairman confirmation had thrown the senate into a rowdy session.

The lawmakers were reportedly split into two groups, one in support and the other against the confirmation of Magu.

It was gathered that Senate Majority Leader Ali Ndume engaged in a shouting match with chairman of the Senate committee on the FCT, Dino Melaye, who was said to be against Magu’s confirmation.

The verbal brawl, reports say, almost degenerated into fisticuffs, before journalists were excused out of the chambers and the lawmakers went into a close-door executive session.

You will recall that the Senate has repeatedly delayed the confirmation of Magu as the chairman of the EFCC, even after the presidency wrote a letter to the upper legislative chamber, seeking for an accelerated screening and confirmation exercise.

The letter for Magu’s confirmation was dated June 17, 2016, and signed by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who was then acting on behalf of the President while he was on a 10-day medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

The letter was received at the Senate on June 22 as was clearly shown by the official stamp on it, but was not read on at plenary by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, until July 14.

The senate had earlier scheduled Thursday, December 8, for Magu’s screening and confirmation but on that day it was noticed that the exercise was not featured on the order paper of the Senate.

However, the Senate released a short statement to the effect that the screening exercise had been shifted to December 15.

Magu has remained the acting chairman of the EFCC for more than one year after taking over from the former Chairman, Ibrahim Larmode, who was sacked by President Buhari on November 9, 2015, having been accused of corruption.