Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and human rights lawyer, has stated that it is against the federal character principle for the chairmen of the two anti-graft federal agencies to come from the same geopolitical zone in Nigeria.
He made this known in his interview on Channels television on Monday morning.
“The EFCC and the ICPC heads cann’t come from the same zone. The recently appointed chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, is “eminently qualified” to head the anti-graft agency having previously served as Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman (2016-2018) and Secretary to the Commission (2018-2023) as well as having 22 years cognate experience.
“If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from same zone. If there are two positions in the public service, one must go to the North, 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.”
CRUX NEWS recalls that the new EFCC chair, Olukoyede and ICPC chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), are from the South-West geopolitical zone.
