Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Human Right Activist, Femi Falana, has stated that it is against the Federal Character Principle for heads of two anti-graft federal agencies to come from the same geopolitical zone.
Falana stated this during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily Programme on Monday, October 16.
According to the senior advocate, the Federal Character Principle states that, if the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is from the northern region, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) should come from the southern region.
“If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from same zone,” Falana Stated.
Recall that, President Bola Tinubu had appointed Ola Olukoyede as the new EFCC chairman on October 12, 2023, for a renewable term of four years following the resignation of the former EFCC Boss Abdulrasheed Bawa.
Bawa was suspended on June 14, 2023 and detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) over “weighty” allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.
Following this, Many lawyers and analysts has criticised the appointment of Olukoyede, saying he is not qualified to be the head of EFCC.
In response to this, Falana said, the appointed chairman of the EFCC, 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 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.”
Both Olukoyede and ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), are from the South-West geopolitical zone.
