ABUJA, Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu has announced the appointment of Olanipekun ‘Ola’ Olukoyede as the new chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
This crucial decision was confirmed by the President’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, through an official statement on Thursday, October 12, 2023.
The statement elaborated on the president’s powers concerning the appointment, referencing section 2 (3) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.
According to Chief Ngelale, Mr Olukoyede brings over two decades of expertise as a regulatory compliance consultant specializing in fraud management and corporate intelligence.
His past experiences within the EFCC, where he held positions as Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman and later as Secretary to the Commission, ensures he meets the statutory requirement for his new role.
Hailing from Ekiti State, Olukoyede isn’t just a bureaucrat but a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG.
This key appointment comes in the wake of the resignation of the suspended EFCC Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
On Monday, a group, Alliance for Good Governance and Due Process expressed its reservations over ‘rumours’ that Tinubu had planned to appoint Olukoyede as the EFCC chair, emphasizing that such a move could violate the EFCC Act.
“We have watched closely and monitored some of the decisions taken by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since his inauguration on May 29, 2023,” the statement signed by the group’s national coordinator, Ayelabola Hussain, read.
“While we have, in the past, commended the President for some of the policy initiatives, we find it curious that some news organisations published a story that the President was planning to nominate a one-time Secretary of the EFCC, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, as the chairman of the anti-graft agency.
“To us, this is a shocking development that must be addressed because we have struggled to understand what qualifies Olukoyede for such an exalted office. To be sincere, we have found none. This is, to say the least, a rude joke.
“Besides, the rumour mill is agog with the story of how Olukoyede contracted a Senior Pastor in one of the leading Pentecostal churches in Nigeria to put in a word for him at the Presidency so that he could be appointed to head the anti-agency.
“Is this right? How can the Presidency justify appointing someone who still has a pending case of corruption and who is still under investigation as head of an anti-corruption agency?
“The questions are many. In what way is Olukoyede qualified to be so nominated if true? What happens to the pending cases against him even as Secretary of the EFCC under the leadership of Ibrahim Magu?
“Was Olukoyede exonerated by the Justice Ayo Salami Investigative Panel of the EFCC? If so, where is the report of that panel?
“By the way, it is public knowledge that Olukoyede’s account is still under investigation and frozen. So why is he in hurry to go back to the EFCC? Is there something we don’t know? Does a man with such a huge baggage deserve to be rewarded with the chairman of the EFCC?”
In addition to Olukoyede’s appointment, President Bola Tinubu has also named Mr. Muhammad Hammajoda as the Secretary of the EFCC.
Hammajoda, with a background in public administration and finance, is expected to serve for a renewable term of five years, subject to Senate confirmation. He boasts a commendable academic and professional history, with roles in the banking sector and academia.
