Unresolved disagreement among the Senate Committee on anti-corruption on Tuesday halted the confirmation of Olanipekun Olukoyede as the Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on September 10 forwarded the name of the nominee, who is the chief of staff to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, for confirmation as the Secretary of Anti-corruption agency.
The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, forwarded the request to the committee for consideration.
However, presenting the report for consideration, the Chairman, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, said the lawmakers are satisfied with the performance of Olukoyede when he appeared for screening.
He said: “The nominee appeared before the Committee on Wednesday October 24, 2018. The members subjected to scrutiny the curriculum vitae of the nominee and other relevant documents relating to his background and educational qualification, and the work experience of the nominee.
“The Committee found that Olanipekun Olukoyede is a trained lawyer. He gave indepth responses to the questions asked by the members which we believe will add value to policy formulation and implementation in the EFCC.
“The Committee is satisfied that the nominee has the requisite experience, integrity, professional competence and industry to discharge the functions of the position in which he is nominated.
“The Committee also noted that there was no adverse security report against the nominee and the scrutiny carried out on the nominee shows that the nominee possesses the necessary academic and administrative experience for the position.”
But trouble started when Senator James Manager was contributing to the report.
Manager stated that only few members of the Committee signed the report of the screening but noted that since the nominee satisfied the requisite experience and professional requirement, he should be confirmed.
His word: “I observe that only few signatures appeared on the signature column. However, going through what the Chairman of the Committee has presented, and knowing full well that this is not very normal time for the Senate, it will not be easy for a chairman of a Committee to have all the members to attend but however, from the number that appeared am sure that they formed quorum.
“From the report of the Committee, since the nominee has the requisite experience and professional competence, that is what we are looking for in a nominee for the kind of office that we screen him for, I therefore, suggest that any other thing can be ignored so that we confirm the nominee.”
Responding to the objection raised, Senator Isa Misau, who is also a member of the Committee, kicked against the confirmation of Olukoyede, arguing that members of the Committee were not present when the screening was done.
Misau therefore asked the Senate to suspend the confirmation and allow the members of the Committee to meet on the matter.
However the chairman of the Committee in his response said Senator Misau was speaking on another issue, not that of EFCC.
Thereafter, Saraki asked the Committee to go and resolve the grey areas and present the report for consideration on Wednesday.
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