Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Femi Falana has said that both the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) should not be from the same geopolitical zone.
Falana stated that appointing the heads of both federal anti-graft agencies from the same zone goes against the federal character principle.
He pointed out that as the EFCC chairman hails from the southern region, the chairman of the ICPC should ideally come from the northern region to ensure balanced representation.
He said, “If you are going to have the EFCC and ICPC, the heads cannot come from the same zone.”
The senior lawyer said that EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, is “eminently qualified” to head the anti-graft agency having previously served as chief of staff to the EFCC Chairman(2016-2018) and secretary to the commission (2018-2023) as well as having 22 years cognate experience.
Recall that both Olukoyede and ICPC chairman Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN) are from the South-West geopolitical zone.
On October 12, President Bola Tinubu appointed Olukoyede as the new EFCC chairman pending senate confirmation.
Olukoyede’s appointment followed the controversial resignation of the embattled ex-EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was suspended on June 14, and detained by the Department of State Service, DSS, over “weighty” allegations of abuse of office leveled against him.
He said, “There is no issue; the only issue that has been raised and has to be considered by the government is that we have in this country, the Federal Character Commission Act. And also by Section 14 of the constitution, appointments must reflect Federal Character.
“If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from the same zone. If there are two positions in the public service, one must go to the North, one must go to the South.
“If there are four, two must go to the South, two must go to the North. If there are six, one must go to each geopolitical zone. That is the law in Nigeria today.
“So, I am not comfortable with the fact that the heads of the EFCC and the ICPC are from the same zone.
“Apart from that, Mr Ola Olukoyede is eminently qualified to head the EFCC.
“My colleagues, who have criticised the appointment, have not looked at the relevant provisions of the EFCC which is Section 2.”
Kanyi Daily recalls that Bola Tinubu recently appointed Ola Olukoyede as the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), pending confirmation by the Senate.
