President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Olanipekun Olukoyede to serve as the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for a renewable term of four years in the first instance pending senate confirmation.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale said Olukoyede’s appointment followed the unannounced resignation of the suspended erstwhile Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
BAWA was suspended after weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him and has since been in detention at the Department of State Service (DSS) for four months now.
The statement said President Tinubu also approved the appointment of Muhammad Hammajoda to serve as EFCC Secretary for a renewable term of five years in the first instance pending Senate confirmation.
The new EFCC chair, Olukoyede, is a Lawyer, who served as Secretary of the anti-graft agency for two years during the time of Ibrahim Magu as acting chairman of the Commission.
He, along with Magu and a number of other officials, was suspended from office by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020 and was never recalled.
While Magu was replaced with Bawa in February 2021, Olukoyede was replaced with George Ekpungu, as the secretary of the commission in June 2021.
Meanwhile reactions have trailed the appointment of Olanipekun Olukoyede as Executive Chairman of the EFCC.
Speaking on our breakfast talk show, constitutional lawyer and social commentator, Fred Nzeakor questioned the qualification of the appointee based on the EFCC Act.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale said Olukoyede’s appointment followed the unannounced resignation of the suspended erstwhile Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
The new EFCC chair, Olukoyede, is a Lawyer, who served as Secretary of the anti-graft agency for two years during the time of Ibrahim Magu as acting chairman of the Commission.
Nzeako said there are laid down guidelines for selecting the EFCC Chair.
He also said the lawmakers should do their due diligence regarding his confirmation
