Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has voiced concerns over the geographical origins of the Chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Falana expressed his views during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday. He stressed that it is essential to uphold the federal character principle by not appointing the Chairmen of both anti-graft federal agencies from the same geopolitical zone.
In Falana’s opinion, since the Chairman of the EFCC hails from the northern region, the Chairman of the ICPC should be chosen from the southern region. He firmly stated, “If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from the same zone.”
Emphasizing the qualifications of EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Falana highlighted Olukoyede’s extensive experience, including serving as Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman from 2016 to 2018 and as Secretary to the Commission from 2018 to 2023, accumulating 22 years of relevant experience.
It’s worth noting that both Ola Olukoyede and the ICPC Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), who has held the position since February 2019, are from the South-West geopolitical zone.
On October 12, 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Mr. Olukoyede as the new EFCC Chairman for an initial four-year term, pending Senate confirmation. This decision followed the controversial resignation of the former EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was suspended on June 14, 2023, and detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) due to serious allegations of abuse of office.
Olukoyede’s appointment sparked criticism from some quarters, with concerns raised about his qualification to lead the EFCC. However, Falana defended Olukoyede’s credentials based on his past roles within the agency.
Addressing the issue of regional diversity in leadership, Falana invoked the Federal Character Commission Act and Section 14 of the constitution, both of which mandate that appointments in Nigeria should reflect the federal character. This means that leadership positions in public service must be distributed across the country’s various regions. Falana insisted that the heads of the EFCC and the ICPC should not originate from the same zone, as it is required by law in Nigeria.
In conclusion, Falana underscored that while he has reservations about the Chairmen of the EFCC and the ICPC both coming from the same zone, he believes Mr. Ola Olukoyede is well-qualified to lead the EFCC, emphasizing the importance of considering relevant provisions such as Section 2 of the EFCC Act.
