The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday has confirmed Ola Olukoyede as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFFC).
Olukoyede was confirmed after he was screened on the floor of the Senate.
This comes following the announcement of his appointment by the presidency last Thursday.
Olukoyede takes over from the suspended chairman of the anti-graft agency Abdulrasheed Bawa for a four-year term with renewal.
He will be assuming office as the new helmsman of the anti-graft with a baggage of criticisms regarding his qualification.
It would be recalled that in a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Olukoyede will replace the suspended chairman of the anti-graft agency, Bawa.
“Mr. Ola Olukoyede is a lawyer with over twenty-two (22) years of experience as a regulatory compliance consultant and specialist in fraud management and corporate intelligence.
“He has extensive experience in the operations of the EFCC, having previously served as Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman (2016-2018) and Secretary to the Commission (2018-2023). As such, he fulfills the statutory requirement for appointment as Chairman of the EFCC,” the statement said.
Olukoyede was a staff of the EFCC as chief of staff to the former chairman, Ibrahim Magu between 2016 and 2018 and secretary to the commission between 2018 and 2023.
Given the nature of the job as chairman of the EFCC, some lawyers have argued that Olukoyede does not possess the required qualification needed for the job.
While Section 2 of the EFCC Act expressly states that the appointment of a new chairman must be an individual who have been a staff of the commission for not more than 15 years, the appointment of Olukoyede violates the provision of the law.
Recall that on Tuesday, Daniel Bwala, spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar reacting to Olukoyede’s appointment doubted his capacity.
Bwala argued that Olukoyede, a lawyer with over 22 years of experience as a regulatory compliance consultant and a specialist in fraud management and corporate intelligence might not be able to handle the operations of the EFCC he has no experience in law enforcement or security, described his qualification as insufficient.
Bwala stated, “This is the point; there is a baseline. The baseline is that the person must come from a security or law enforcement agency of the government; the reference is the government not the private sector.
“The security is one that is covered by the National Security Agency Act which comprises DIA, NIA and SSS. Law enforcement compromises both EFCC, the police, the NSCDC and the rest. He didn’t have the power to hold guns, he never investigated a single case because he did not come as an operative.”
But human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, in contrast to Bwala’s assertion on Monday, said Olukoyede is “eminently qualified” for the job.
Meanwhile, Olukoyede is expected to be confirmed alongside Muhammad Hammajoda, nominated as Secretary to the Commission.
