Group Faults Olukoyede’s Planned Appointment as EFCC  Chairman

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

A group, The Alliance for Good Governance and Due Process, has faulted the alleged plan by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

The group, in a statement  by its National Coordinator, Mr. Ayelabola Hussain, said the alleged nomination, if it was true, would be a serious violation of the EFCC Act which was specific about the qualities and qualifications of persons that should be the chairman of such an important commission.

Hussain claimed that in a democracy, the government should be wary of constitutional provisions, adding that  nothing should be done to turn the EFCC into a lame duck commission just because some powerful forces would prefer an unqualified person to run its affairs.

He said: “We have watched closely and monitored some of the decisions taken by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

 “While we have, in the past, commended the president for some of the policy initiatives, we find it curious that some news organisations published a story that the president was planning to nominate a one-time Secretary of the EFCC, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, as the chairman of the anti-graft agency.

“To us, this is a shocking development that must be addressed because we have struggled to understand what qualifies Olukoyede for such an exalted office. To be sincere, we have found none. This is, to say the least, a rude joke.

“In any case, the EFCC Act is clear about who is qualified to be the Chairman of the commission. The relevant section states, : (1) The Commission shall consist of the following members: (a) a chairman, who shall – (i) be the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the Commission; (ii) be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent; and (iii) possess not less than 15 years cognate experience.”

The questions are many. In what way is Olukoyede qualified to be so nominated if true? What happens to the pending cases against him even as Secretary of the EFCC under the leadership of Ibrahim Magu? Was Olukoyede exonerated by the Justice Ayo Salami Investigative Panel of the EFCC? If so, where is the report of that panel?

“By the way, it is public knowledge that Olukoyede’s account is still under investigation and frozen. So why is he in hurry to go back to the EFCC? Hussain asked.