By CLEMENT NWOJI, Abuja
Critics have condemned the appointment of Ola Olukoyede as the new Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by President Bola Tinubu, for his non-qualification to occupy post as provided the Commission’s enabling Act 2004.
Tinubu had cited the powers vested in him as established in section 2 (3) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, that “the Chairman and members of the Commission, other than ex-officio members, shall be appointed by the President,” to approve Olukoyede’s appointment on Thursday.
The appointment is for a renewable term of four years in the first instance, pending Senate confirmation.
Mr. Olukoyede’s appointment follows the resignation of the suspended Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa who had been in detention for months now without trial.
But reacting to the new appointment,
Daniel H Bwala, a legal practitioner and spokesman of the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, through his X handle (formerly Twitter) @BwalaDaniel, said “The appointment of Olukayode as EFCC Chairman by PBAT is unlawful and illegal.”
According to him, “It runs foul of the provisions of Section 2 of the EFCC ACT which requires that the person to be appointed as EFCC Chairman must amongst other things have: Been a serving or retired member of any security or law enforcement agency, Must have 15 years cognate experience of law enforcement, and Must not be below the rank of assistant commissioner of police.
“Olukayode is a private legal practitioner and has never worked or belong to any security or law enforcement agency as a member. He does not have 15 years cognate experience as a law enforcement officer and His private legal practice years cannot be equated to the rank in law enforcement.
“Not enough attending seminal courses as a private legal practitioner can equate to 15 years cognate experience contemplated by section 2 of the Act. HE ONLY HAS A STINT AS CHIEF OF STAFF OF MAGU AND LATER BECAME A SECRETARY OF THE COMMISSION, ALL OF WHICH LAST FOR LESS THAN 6 YEARS.
“This government never cease to amaze Nigerians. Who knows, maybe he is being appointed for a mission. God help Nigeria.”
Also another critic identified as Keny David through X handle @KennyNuga, said “The Commission’s Act also says a chairman ”must 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; possess not less than 15 years experience.
”The chairman shall be responsible for the investigation of all financial crimes including advance fee fraud, money laundering, counterfeiting, illegal charge transfers, futures market fraud, fraudulent encashment of negotiable instruments, computer credit card fraud, contract scam, etc.”
A statement by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, also said President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Muhammad Hassan Hammajoda to serve as the Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a renewable term of five years in the first instance, pending Senate confirmation
He added that Tinubu tasked the new leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to justify the confidence given to them in this important national assignment as a newly invigorated war on corruption undertaken through a reformed institutional architecture in the anti-corruption sector remains a central pillar of the President’s Renewed Hope agenda.
Mr. Ola Olukoyede is a lawyer with over twenty-two (22) years of experience as a regulatory compliance consultant and specialist in fraud management and corporate intelligence.
He has extensive experience in the operations of the EFCC, having previously served as Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman (2016-2018) and Secretary to the Commission (2018-2023). As such, he fulfills the statutory requirement for appointment as Chairman of the EFCC.
Mr. Muhammad Hassan Hammajoda is a public administrator with extensive experience in public finance management who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Maiduguri and a Masters in Business Administration from the same university.
He began his career as a lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi. From there, he went into banking, including successful stints at the defunct Allied Bank and Standard Trust Bank.
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