HUMAN rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has stated that the heads of Nigeria’s two anti-graft federal agencies coming from the same geopolitical zone violates the federal character principle.
According to the senior lawyer, if the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is from the northern region, the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) should be from the southern region.
“If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from same zone,” Falana stated today during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.
Falana also noted that the recently appointed chairman of the EFCC, 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.
Olukoyede and ICPC Chairman Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), both from the South-West geographical zone, have been in office since February 2019.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu selected Olukoyede as the new EFCC chairman on October 12, 2023, for a four-year renewable term in the first instance, pending Senate approval.
Olukoyede’s removal came after the controversial resignation of embattled ex-EFCC boss Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was suspended and arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on June 14, 2023, following “weighty” charges of abuse of authority leveled against him.
Many attorneys and commentators have criticized Olukoyede’s appointment, claiming that he is not an Assistant Commissioner of Police and is therefore unqualified to lead the EFCC.
However, Falana has stated that Olukoyede is qualified to lead the anti-graft commission having previously served in some high capacity in the agency.
“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 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.”
