WHY CAN’T EFCC AND ICPC CHAIRMEN BE FROM THE SAME ZONE? – FALANA

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) said on Monday that the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) coming from the same geopolitical zone violates the federal character principle.

According to Falana, if the EFCC chairman is from the northern zone, the ICPC chairman should be from the southern region.

On Channels TV on Monday, he stated, “If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from the same zone.”

Falana went on to say that the incoming EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, is “eminently qualified” to lead the anti-graft agency, having previously served as Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman (2016-2018) and Secretary to the Commission (2018-2023), in addition to having 22 years cognate experience.

Olukoyede is from the South-West geographical zone, as is ICPC Chairman Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), who has been in office since February 2019.

According to Naija News, President Bola Tinubu appointed Olukoyede as Chairman of the EFCC on October 12, 2023.

Many attorneys and commentators have criticized Olukoyede’s selection, claiming that he is not qualified to manage the EFCC and does not have the position of Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Falana, on the other hand, believes Olukoyede is qualified to lead the anti-graft commission because he has already worked in a senior capacity in the agency.

“There is no issue; the only issue that has been raised by the government is that we have in this country, the Federal Character Commission Act, and also by virtue of Section 14 of the constitution, appointments must reflect Federal Character,” he stated.

“If you have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads can’t be from the same zone.” If there are two positions available in the public sector, one must be assigned to the north and one to the south. If there are four, two must go south and two must go north. One must go to each geopolitical zone if there are six. That is the current law in Nigeria.

“As a result, I am uneasy about the fact that the heads of the EFCC and the ICPC are from the same zone.” Aside from that, Mr Ola Olukoyede is an extremely qualified candidate to lead the EFCC. My colleagues who have criticized the appointment have not read the relevant EFCC legislation, Section 2.”