Senate Confirms Olukoyede As Efcc Chairman, Hammajoda As Secretary

Following their recent appointment by President Bola Tinubu, both Ola Olukoyede and Muhammad Hammajoda received confirmation by the Senate on Wednesday.

Olukoyede assumed the role of Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), while Hammajoda was confirmed as the Secretary of this anti-graft agency. [caption id="attachment_13053" align="alignnone" width="1140"] Senate Confirms Olukoyede as the new EFCC Chairman and Hammajoda As Secretary. Photo: Channels TV[/caption] The Senate's endorsement came about a week after their initial appointments and their successful screening. In addition to these confirmations, the Senate also reviewed and approved the appointment of Halima Shehu as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA). President Tinubu had officially appointed Olukoyede and Hammajoda to their respective roles on October 12, 2023. The leadership of Nigeria's primary anti-corruption agency has seen considerable changes in recent months since President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023. On June 14, the President suspended Abdulrasheed Bawa indefinitely from his position as the head of the anti-graft agency. This decision was made to facilitate a thorough investigation into allegations of misconduct during his tenure. Following Bawa's suspension, Abdulkarim Chukkol, the Director of Operations at the Commission, temporarily assumed the role of acting EFCC chair while the Department of State Services (DSS) took Bawa into custody. However, with the recent appointment and Senate confirmation, Ola Olukoyede has taken the helm as the new leader of the commission. Presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, clarified that Olukoyede's appointment is initially for a four-year term, subject to renewal, while Hammajoda was appointed as the Secretary of the EFCC for an initial term of five years, also subject to renewal. Notably, Olukoyede's appointment received some criticism from analysts and senior lawyers who questioned his suitability to lead the nation's premier anti-corruption agency, as he does not hold the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. Nonetheless, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, argued that Olukoyede is "eminently qualified" for the role, citing his prior service as Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman (2016-2018) and Secretary to the Commission (2018-2023), along with his 22 years of relevant experience, Vanguard reports. Falana also suggested that if the EFCC Chairman is from the northern region, then the southern region should provide the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). As of Monday, both Olukoyede and the then ICPC Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, were from the South-West geopolitical zone. However, President Tinubu initiated a significant reshuffle, appointing a northerner, Dr. Musa Aliyu, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Jigawa State, as the new ICPC Chairman.