Confirmation of EFCC secretary suspended by Senate

The confirmation of Olanipekun Olukoyede as secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been suspended by the Senate.

A member of the Senate committee on anti-corruption and financial crimes, Isa Misau had earlier accused the committee of preparing a report without the consent of others, 

Our source gathers that the lawmaker complained that the endorsement page report was signed by only three out of eight members of the committee.

He said: “Let’s step down this report so that we, the members of the committee can go through it. Because I participated actively in the screening of these nominees and there are some of them that are not competent to hold that office.

“I’m just seeing this report. It has not been sent to my office and I was part of the screening and during the screening, I made objections on certain people that are not supposed to hold that office to be screened. It is necessary for us to look at the report."

The chairman of the committee, Chukwuka Utazi, who urged the Senate to confirm Olukoyede, said: “Most of the committee members are busy with oversight. We wrote every member to be in attendance. What Misau attended was the ICPC screening. He attended and participated but he did not attend this one.

“We gave the notice to everybody to attend; and at the end of the day, the number of people who attended, formed quorum and took the decision on behalf of the committee (signed)."

Utazi was thereafter asked by the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, to meet with his members later in the day, conclude and re-present the report on Wednesday, November 28.

President Muhammadu Buhari nominated Olanipekun Olukoyede, the chief of staff to the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, as the secretary of the commission.

The president in a letter to the Senate requested that Olukoyede's nomination be confirmed as secretary of the EFCC.

The letter dated September 10, 2018, and addressed to Senate president, Bukola Saraki, asked that Olukoyede be confirmed in accordance with Section 2 of the EFCC Act.

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