President Bola Tinubu is poised to appoint Olanipekun Olukoyede as the substantive chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a decision that is anticipated to spark controversy over the candidate’s eligibility for the role. Mr. Olukoyede, a lawyer, previously served as the secretary of the anti-graft agency during the tenure of Ibrahim Magu as the acting chair.
The potential appointment is met with skepticism regarding Mr. Olukoyede’s qualifications for the position. He and Mr. Magu were suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020 and were never reinstated. Prior to his secretary role, Mr. Olukoyede served as Mr. Magu’s chief of staff.
A top presidency source revealed, “President Tinubu has chosen Olanipekun Olukoyede for appointment as substantive chairman of the EFCC.” Senate confirmation is required for this appointment, and an official announcement is expected soon.
This move comes after the suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa as EFCC chair by President Tinubu in June, replacing him with Abdulkarim Chukkol in an acting capacity. Mr. Bawa’s suspension, attributed to “weighty allegations of abuse of office,” follows a pattern of abrupt removals of past EFCC leaders.
Amid the leadership changes, concerns arise over Mr. Bawa’s current detention at the State Security Service (SSS) and speculations that he might officially resign from office.
Olanipekun Olukoyede, born on October 14, 1969, from Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has a background as a lawyer and was nominated by President Buhari as Secretary to EFCC in 2018. His confirmation as EFCC scribe came with controversy, including allegations of sidelining certain senators in the confirmation process.
However, doubts are raised about Mr. Olukoyede’s qualification for the EFCC chairmanship, as Section 2(3) of the EFCC Act, 2005, stipulates that the chairman must be a serving or retired member of a government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police with not less than 15 years of experience.
If appointed, Mr. Olukoyede would be the first Nigerian from the South to lead the EFCC, breaking the trend of northerners holding the position. Critics argue that he may not meet the statutory requirements, potentially intensifying rebukes against President Tinubu’s stance on corruption.
