BREAKING: Senate confirms Ola Olukoyede as new EFCC chairman

The Nigerian Senate has confirmed Ola Olukoyede as the new chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

President Bola Tinubu had in a letter to the Senate on Tuesday asked the upper legislative chamber to confirm Olukoyede as the substantive chair of Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption agency.

Tinubu also urged that Muhammad Hammajod be confirmed as the EFCC’s secretary.

The president’s request was contained in a letter read in plenary on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Mr Olukoyede’s appointment sparked criticism from different quarters, opposition and objections from Nigerians stating that Olukoyede was not qualified for the position under the Act establishing the anti-corruption agency.

But the presidency had insisted on Olukoyede’s qualification stating that he was a member of a law enforcement organisation as Secretary, in this case the EFCC, as stipulated in the EFCC Act, and as such satisfied every legal detail to be appointed as Chairman.