Olukoyede’s Eminently Qualified to Be EFCC Chair, But Tinubu Erred, Says Falana

By Eric Elezuo

Constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana SAN, has said that the newly appointed Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, is eminently qualified for the position in contradiction to popular narrative in the media space that his appointment is in negation of extant laws.

Falana, who made the assertion on Monday while speaking as a guest on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, added that President Bola Tinubu however, erred in the appointment in that he appointed so many people in financial and anti-graft from the same region (South West).

It would be recalled that last Thursday, Tinubu appointed Olukoyede to serve as the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission pending Senate confirmation.

However, feelers from a cross section of Nigerians attacked the president for not paying heed to the EFCC extant laws, which stipulates as follows in the Establishment Act of 2004:

(1) The Commission shall consist of the following members-(a)A chairman, who shall-(i)be the Chief Executive and Accounting officer of the Commission(ii) be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent; and(iii) Possess not less than 15 years cognate experience.

While a lot of Nigerians argue that Olukoyede did not meet the requirements, Falana disagreed, saying that the appointee has cognate experience, having served as a high ranking officer of the EFCC over the years.

He however, warned Tinubu about making his appointments from the same region, which is the only fault he sees in the appointment of Olukoyede.