Senate Confirms Buhari’s Nominee For EFCC Secretary

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The Senate last Wednesday confirmed Olanipekun Olukoyede as the Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Olukoyede, who is the current Chief of Staff to the acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, was nominated as secretary to the commission by President Muhammadu Buhari, in a letter dated September 10, 2018.
The Senate had on Tuesday suspended Olukoyede’s confirmation opting to stand down his confirmation after a member of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Isa Misau (PDP, Bauchi Central) accused some committee members of preparing a report without the consent of others.
Misau had also complained that only three of eight members of the committee signed the Endorsement Page of the report.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, then directed the Chairman and members of the committee to meet and deliberate on the issue and re-present the report.
The lawmakers, however, confirmed the EFCC secretary on Wednesday amidst altercations between the chairman of the committee, Chukwuka Utazi, and some other members.
Prior to the confirmation, Misau again raised a point of order accusing Utazi of disobeying the resolution made by the Senate on Tuesday. He said he and other members were still not invited to any meeting.
“There was a resolution of the Senate yesterday on the committee to sit down and look at the report so it can be considered today. I am a member of the committee. Senators Dino, Matthew, Monsurat, Mustapha are members of this committee.
“All of us are waiting to be called to deliberate on this report and we know that there are so many petitions concerning this nominee and this nominee is going to hold a very sensitive office in the EFCC.
“I think it not right for us to just do a shortcut in screening this individual. The rights of the committee members should be considered. If there is any petition against this man, let us look at it. The normal procedure is for the clerk to send a letter of invitation. I don’t know what the interest is.
“I was just sitting here and the chairman came with a document asking me and Dino to sign for him. I think what we are trying to do is not right. Let us step down this report, let the committee sit down and deliberate on it,” he said.
In his response, Utazi reiterated that invitations were before Tuesday sent out to all members of the committee and Misau was absent.
“I’m not giving to making response to ‘trivalities’ and frivolities in this Senate. It is right to inform the Senate that the quorum of our committees is three. We gave notice of meeting on 24th of October. I sent it to the member who is trying to mislead this chamber here. It was also on the Order Paper of that day.
“On the same day, we were going for this meeting, I also informed our colleagues and when we got there, only three people were there. And we did the business of this committee and concluded our activities and came up with a report which we have here.
“Yesterday, I brought it up, the member who was absent, stopped the meeting. He was never there. He only participated in ICPC screening. We have a report here. Let the Senate do the needful and consider what we have done here,” he said.
The Senate, thereafter, resolved into committee of the whole, considered the nomination and confirmed Olukoyede as the EFCC secretary.

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