National Issues
EFCC Chairmanship Position; Ripe Time For A Southerner -By Elabor Joe Agbebaku
As the nation awaits the appointment of a substantive EFCC Chairman, there is a clarion call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider giving an opportunity to a Southern officer in the Commission, this is so for equity and fairness, as the Southern region is not short of capacity to occupy such position.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was established in 2003 under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, among other objects to tackle corruption and other related federal crimes.
The Commission has had seven successive Chairmen since inception, some of them being in acting capacity.
As may be shown anon, after about twenty years of existence of the EFCC, a Southerner is yet to occupy the highest position in the Commission, in spite of the Commission boasting of good numbers of high-ranking Officers from the South.
At inception, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu from Adamawa State (North East), became the Chairman and was at the helm for four years.
In 2007, Mrs. Farida Waziri from Benue State (North Central) became the EFCC boss and was in the position for four years.
In 2011, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Ibrahim Lamorde from Adamawa State (North East) as acting EFCC Chairman and was later confirmed by the Senate as substantive EFCC Chairman in 2012.
In 2015, Ibrahim Magu from Borno State (North East) became EFCC Chairman (in acting capacity) and remained so until 2020 before he was removed.
In 2020, Mohammed Umar Abba from Kano State (North West) replaced Ibrahim Magu as EFCC acting Chairman and was in the position for some months.
In 2021, President Buhari appointed Abdulrasheed Bawa from Kebbi State (North West) as EFCC Chairman, until he was recently removed in 2023.
Since after the removal of Abdulrasheed Bawa, Adulkarim Chukkol from Borno State (North East) has been heading the Commission in an acting capacity.
As the nation awaits the appointment of a substantive EFCC Chairman, there is a clarion call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider giving an opportunity to a Southern officer in the Commission, this is so for equity and fairness, as the Southern region is not short of capacity to occupy such position.
A particular region (North) cannot continue to occupy the highest position of a Commission, at the detriment of the other region (South), this is also against the tenet and tenor of the Federal Character as enshrined in our laws.
In the light of the foregoing, it won’t be out of place to request that the President gives consideration to the plight of the Southerners and make bold to appoint the very first EFCC Chairman from the South, for equity and fairness.
Elabor Joe Agbebaku, Esq.
elaborjoe@gmail.com
Edo State
