Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana has faulted the appointment of the chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
On Monday while speaking on Channels TV, Falana observed that appointing the two chairmen from the South West geo-political zone was against the Federal Character principle.
Recalls that President Bola Tinubu on Thursday last week, appointed Ola Olukoyede as the new EFCC Chairman.
Olukoyede and the Chairman of the ICPC, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN) who was appointed by the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, are form South West.
Reacting to the controversies surrounding Olukoyede’s appointment, Falana said he is not comfortable with the development.
He, however, claimed that the new EFCC Chairman is qualified to head the agency.
He said, “There is no issue; the only issue that has been raised that has to be considered by the government is that we have in this country, the Federal Character Commission Act, and also by the virtue of Section 14 of the Constitution, appointments must reflect Federal Character.
“If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from the same zone.
“If there are two positions in the public service, one must go to the North, and one must go to the South. If there are four, two must go to the South, two must go to the North. If there are six, one must go to each geopolitical zone. That is the law in Nigeria today.
“So, I am not comfortable with the fact that the heads of the EFCC and the ICPC are from the same zone. Apart from that, Mr Ola Olukoyede, is eminently qualified to head the EFCC. My colleagues who have criticised the appointment have not looked at the relevant provisions of the EFCC, which is Section 2.”
