Olanipekun Olukoyede: Tinubu to appoint Magu’s man as EFCC chairman

President Bola Tinubu is reportedly set to appoint Olanipekun Olukoyede as the substantive chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a move likely to trigger controversy over the candidate’s qualification for the job. Olukoyede, a lawyer, previously served as the secretary of the anti-graft agency during Ibrahim Magu’s tenure as the acting chair. However, concerns have been raised regarding whether Olukoyede meets the statutory requirements for the position as stipulated by the EFCC Act, 2005.

According to Section 2(3) of the EFCC Act, the chairman of the commission 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, possessing not less than 15 years of experience. Olukoyede’s experience in administrative roles at the EFCC may fall short of meeting this criterion, raising doubts about his qualifications for the position.

If the nomination is confirmed, Olukoyede would become the first Nigerian from the South of the country to lead the EFCC, breaking the tradition of having northerners as the chair of the commission. However, this potential appointment might draw further criticism, especially if concerns regarding qualifications are not adequately addressed.