Members of the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights staged a protest at the National Assembly premises in Abuja, demanding the removal of the newly-appointed Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede. The protesters, led by the group’s National Secretary, Adebayo Ogorry, asserted that Olukoyede lacked the qualifications necessary for the position and called on the Senate to take action.
The protesters contended that President Bola Tinubu had allegedly failed to adhere to existing laws governing the appointment of the EFCC chairman. President Tinubu recently appointed Olukoyede to the role, pending Senate confirmation, after the suspension of the previous EFCC chief, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
During the demonstration, Ogorry emphasized the violation of the Establishment Act 2004 of the EFCC, which outlines specific qualifications for the chairman, including a background in a government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or its equivalent, along with at least 15 years of relevant experience.
The protesters pointed out that not all members of the police force or other forces are eligible to be the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, as individuals with roles such as pilots, medical personnel, or administrative officers may lack the necessary experience in enforcing the laws of the EFCC.
Ola Olukoyede, who hails from Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has extensive educational and professional experience, including legal expertise, regulatory compliance consulting, and a background in fraud management and corporate intelligence. He previously served as the Chief of Staff to the former acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, and later as the Secretary of the anti-graft agency. Olukoyede is also a member of the Federal Government Technical Committee on the Repositioning of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
The protest underscores the controversy surrounding the appointment of the new EFCC chairman and raises questions about compliance with the law in high-level appointments within government agencies.