Despite lawmakers and other politicians’ calls for suspension and possible removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ola Olukoyede, after dusting reports on allegations of financial improprieties against high-profile current and former public officeholders, the appeals have not caught the attention of President Bola Tinubu, who has held tenaciously to his campaign promises on corruption.
Rather than consider appeals from members of his political party, All Progressives Congress (APC), and opposition parties, the president directed that the Olukoyede-led anti-graft agency build on achievements recorded and effectively tackle corruption particularly as it affects Nigeria’s image.
While responding to the appeal, the President was said to have indicated that he planned to build a better nation that would serve both present and future generations through strong institutions like the EFCC.
Speaking exclusively on the anti-graft agency’s boss enforcement strategy on Tuesday amid the 64th independence anniversary, an aide to the President, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed that the president is aware of the allegations of financial improprieties hanging on many advocating for Olukoyede’s removal.
He added that the administration’s concern, as reflected in the President’s independence speech, is to build a greater Nigeria where accountability is key and every citizen can access opportunities.
According to him, a head of an enforcement institution that guarantees such has keyed into the administration’s agenda and will not have problems with the president.
Pointing to the statement released by the president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the aide argued that the anti-graft agency boss is meeting President Tinubu’s campaign promises.
A female aide, who is attached to the Aso Villa, told our correspondent that the President is happy with the approaches adopted by the commission in the fight against corruption especially on high-profile cases.
Some of the high-profile cases being prosecuted by the agency were the Kogi former governor, Bello, who has been avoiding arraignment, and his colleague, Taraba state former governor, Darius Ishaku.
She explained that the EFCC boss met the President’s expectations which formed part of the reasons for the statement issued by Onanuga barely a week ago.
She said: “The president remains a strong supporter of Olukoyede who had hit the ground running in delivering the change agenda of the President with his commitment to weed out corrupt officials.
According to her, the President had been open on his disdain for graft and the need to bring treasury looters to book, a job which Olukoyede is handling to the admiration of Mr President.
“The position of the Mr President remains unchanged. He wants to fight corruption to a standstill and the current head of the EFCC understands the assignment and is going about his job diligently, so why would the President want to change one of his best-performing sheriffs?
“Politicians and their praise singers fearing their imminent day in court to give an account of how resources entrusted in their care vanished should better prepare for their days in court as the President is pleased with Olukoyde and his seat won’t be vacant anytime soon,” the source, who craved anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter, said.
Also, it was learnt that despite the calls for Olukoyede’s removal, his transducers have no strong case before the president to justify their demand for the EFCC boss sack.
Another source in the President’s office said that those against the anti-graft agency’s head had earlier approached the court for his removal without success.
He recalled that a Federal High Court, Abuja, had in June dismissed a suit seeking the sack of Olukoyede as the EFCC chairman after an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Victor Opatola, filed the suit against the President for appointing Olukoyede as EFCC’s boss.
Besides, the source argued that Olukoyede is qualified to occupy his current office having served as secretary of the commission, a grade Level 17 position, which is higher than the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police, a grade Level 14 position.
“Why will the President remove the anti-graft agency boss committed to ensuring that his (Tinubu’s) grand strategic plans toward a better Nigeria are achieved?,” the source queried, adding that the former Lagos governor was committed to seeing Olukoyede succeed in his job.
“The pointer to this is the fact that Mr President has never interfered in the commission’s activities since he (Olukoyede) assumed office. So, it’s not in the plan of the President to remove the EFCC chair. Though there are plans to rejig his cabinet and some security chiefs may not be spared, the EFCC chairman would still retain his seat,” the source, who does not want his name in print because he wasn’t authorized to speak on the matter, said.
Also, one of the President’s cabinet members informed our reporter that the President was solidly behind the commission’s activities and wouldn’t interfere in its business.
The cabinet member, who doesn’t want to be mentioned for fear of divulging sensitive information, said, “Politicians should forget the EFCC chairman’s removal, that isn’t happening. He is diligent with his job and walking his talks and that is why you see corruption fighting back. It was crystal clear that the former Kogi governor would be losing the 18-count charges of money laundering preferred against him by the EFCC and that is why he resorted to cheap blackmails and several dramas.
“So, the noise from his hordes of paid emergency lovers of democracy seeking the removal of Olukoyede won’t materialize. The President is committed to ensuring politicians and appointees who looted the treasury account for it; that is why he didn’t interfere and allowed the anti-graft agency to work despite Bello being the same party man as Mr President.”
Recall that Olukoyede, through a recent press release by the agency’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, reiterated his commitment to ensuring political bigwigs have their days in court to account for several corruption cases hanging on their necks.
Also in June 2024, Olukoyede during a courtesy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, confirmed that Tinubu gave him full access to deal with criminals and those who had dipped their hands into the public treasury, thereby impeding the pace of development in the country.
“Since I was appointed the Chairman of the EFCC, the President has never called me to stop, impose, dictate, or prescribe any directive as regards the affairs or activities of the commission, rather the anti-graft agency has so far enjoyed adequate support needed from the Federal Government towards achieving the mandate of the commission,” Olukoyede had said.
