Senate confirms Olukoyede as EFCC scribe

The Senate yesterday confirmed the nomination of Mr Olanikekun Olukoyede as the secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), despite protest from two senators.

The confirmation was initially fixed for Tuesday, but an observation by Sen Isa Hamma Misau (PDP, Bauchi) stalled the process, compelling the Senate to direct that members of the committee on anticorruption and financial crimes should meet to iron out issues.

Misau had objected to the confirmation, saying only three members of the committee, which screened the nominee, signed the report.

When the confirmation came up again yesterday, Misau raised another objection and went ahead to protest vehemently against the confirmation.

But the committee chairman, Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu), said Misau was only trying to mislead the Senate, noting that the Bauchi senator did not attend the screening session but was bent on frustrating the confirmation.

Another protest came from Sen Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi), a member of the committee, who said the Senate resolution that committee members should meet on the report was not adhered to.

But Senate President Bukola Saraki said the mandate given to the committee was not necessarily for all members to agree as some lawmakers have the right to object to any nomination.

Also, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu observed that the protest from the two senators was “completely unnecessary” as the committee’s report had already become the property of the Senate having being laid.

At this point, Saraki called on Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) to move that the Senate resolved into the Committee of Whole to consider the report, and Misau came up with a fresh protest, but he was ignored as the senators confirmed the nominee.