October 16, (THEWILL) – Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, on Monday, said the federal character principle strictly forbids the chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to come from the same geopolitical zone.
THEWILL reports that President Bola Tinubu had, on Thursday, October 12, appointed Ola Olukoyede as the new EFCC Chairman for a renewable term of four years in the first instance, pending Senate confirmation.
Olukoyede and ICPC Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), who has been in office since February 2019, are from the South-West geopolitical zone.
The appointment of Olukoyede has generated criticisms as lawyers, who cited the provisions of the EFCC Act, had said Olukoyede was not qualified to lead the EFCC because he is not an Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Speaking on Monday, when he featured on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily, Falana said, “If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from same zone,” adding that if the chairman of the EFCC is from the northern region, the southern region should produce the chairman of ICPC.
He, however, agreed that 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.
“There is no issue; the only issue that has been raised has to be considered by the government is that we have in this country, the Federal Character Commission Act and also by the virtue of 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.”
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