A legal luminary and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has disclosed that Mr Ola Olukoyede is eminently qualified to head the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Senior Advocate added that Olukoyede has acquired the necessary expertise and experience to preside over the affairs of the foremost anti-graft agency.
Falana, who spoke on Monday when he appeared before Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, also stated that there is no issue with Olukoyede’s appointment.
President Bola Tinubu had on October 12, appointed Olukoyede as the chairman of the EFCC, pending confirmation by the Senate.
Speaking on the controversy arising from Olukoyede’s appointment, Falana said there is no issue in the matter.
He said, “No, there is no issue. The only issue that has been raised, which for me has to be considered by the Federal Government, is that we have in this country the Federal Character Commission Act, and also by virtue of section 14 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), appointments must reflect the 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 this country, in public-serving, one must go to the north, one must go to the south.
“If there are four, two must go to the north, two must come to the south. If there are six, one must go to each geopolitical zone. That is the law in Nigeria today.
“I am not comfortable with the fact as of today. The heads of the EFCC and the ICPC are from the same zone. Apart from that, Mr Olukoyede is eminently qualified to head the EFCC.”
Falana also argued that his colleagues who have criticised Olukoyede’s appointment have not perused the relevant law that backs his appointment.
He added that Olukoyede has served in different capacities in the agency which makes him qualified for the role.
He said, “My colleagues who have criticised the appointment have not looked at the law, the relevant provision of the EFCC which is section 2 which provides that the chairman must be at least an assistant commissioner of police or its equivalent in the security service, or in a law enforcement agency.
“When Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa was appointed, there were people saying ‘no, this position is for police officer’. No. If you have served in a law enforcement agency and you have acquired enough experience, you are qualified to head the EFCC.
“In the case of Mr Olukoyede, he has been the Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the EFCC, he has also been the Secretary to the Commission and of course, a Board Member by virtue of his position as a Secretary to the Commission.
“Now, people are saying no, he hasn’t acquired cognate experience. The law does not say a cognate experience must be in that agency.
“So, if you have a gentleman who is said to be a regulatory compliance consultant and who has also worked in the detection of crime or fraud, accomplished expert in those areas, you cannot say he hasn’t acquired a cognate experience.
“Cognate experience actually means your acquisition of the skills in the area we are talking about. It doesn’t mean it shall be in the EFCC.”
He added that the only area the government has to go back to the drawing board is to ensure that the anti-graft agencies in the country are not headed by people from one region.
TheIdeal News recalls that a group under the aegis of the Alliance for Good Governance and Due Process had faulted Olukoyede’s nomination by President Tinubu.
The group also claimed that Olukoyede’s appointment would infringe on a section of the EFCC Act that defines who could be appointed as the agency’s chairman.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bar Daniel Bwala, has also argued that the President violated the law by appointing Olukoyede as the new EFCC chairman.
According to Bwala, Olukoyede does not have the requisite qualifications for the office.
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