Senate says the discrepancy was only a typographical error. The Senate has explained why a nominee of President Muhammadu Buhari was confirmed despite discrepancies noted in his record.
Yahaya Muhammad was confirmed as a member of the board of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after clearance by the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes.
Before his confirmation during the plenary on Tuesday, October 5, Senator Hassan Hadejia noted that Muhammad’s records showed that he started primary school a year before he was born, but his observation did not impact voting for the nominee’s confirmation, alongside four others.
News of the confirmation has invited public condemnation, with lawmakers accused of not doing diligence and forcing the confirmation through.
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However, the chairman of the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Kwari Sulieman, said in a statement on Wednesday, October 6 that the discrepancy was only a typographical error.
He said the record Hadejia raised concerns about was in the report prepared by the committee, and not the record provided by the nominee.
“An observation was made by Senator Hadejia on the floor of the Senate to point out the typographical error misstating the year of birth to 1969 rather than 1959,” he said.
George Abang was also confirmed as the EFCC board secretary, and Lukman Mohammed, Anumba Adaeze, and Bola Adesina were confirmed as members.
