Why the chairs of the EFCC and ICPC can’t come from the same region – Falana

Human rights attorney Mr. Femi Falana has argued that it is unconstitutional and violates the Federal Character Principle for the heads of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to come from the same geopolitical region.

The statement was made live on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday by the Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Falana contends that since the EFCC chairman hails from the northern zone, the ICPC chairman ought to come from the south.

Ola Olukoyede, the recently appointed head of the EFCC, and Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the head of the ICPC, are both from the South-West geopolitical zone.

Falana criticised Tinubu’s choice of Olukoyede, who hails from the South-West like the current ICPC chairman, to lead the EFCC, saying, “There is no issue; the only issue that has been raised has to be taken into account by the government because we have the Federal Character Commission Act in this country and also by virtue of Section 14 of the constitution, appointments must reflect Federal Character.

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“The EFCC and ICPC’s chiefs cannot come from the same zone if you have them. In the public sector, if there are two open positions, one must be filled in the north, and the other in the south. Two must travel to the South and two must go to the North if there are four. One must visit each geopolitical region if there are six. In Nigeria, that is currently the law.

Although Olukoyede is well competent to lead the EFCC, Falana continued that he is uncomfortable with the fact that the leaders of both anti-graft organisations are from the South-West geopolitical region.

So, the fact that the chiefs of the EFCC and the ICPC are from the same zone does not sit well with me. Ola Olukoyede is moreover perfectly equipped to lead the EFCC. My colleagues who have questioned the selection have not read Section 2 of the EFCC’s relevant requirements, he claimed.

Recall that on October 12, 2023, Mr. Olukoyede was chosen as the new EFCC chairman by President Bola Tinubu amidst controversy.

Following the contentious resignation of the embattled former EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was suspended on June 14, 2023, and held by the Department of State Services due to charges of abuse of authority, Mr. Olukoyede’s nomination followed.