Check and Balance: Bill to Strip President of Power to Sack EFCC Chairman Passes For Second Reading
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that in a move to establish the spirit of check and balance, the house of representatives has passed the bill to strip the president of power to sack the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for second reading.
OTN News further reports as gathered that the lawmakers who passed this bill for second reading on Thursday aimed at changing how the anti-corruption agency chairman can be removed from office.
OTN News observes that the proposal, which seeks to amend the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004, is pushing for stronger independence for the commission.
According to the lawmakers, keeping politics away from investigations will make the fight against corruption more effective.
OTN News further observes that the bill, which was sponsored by Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, targets several reforms that could reshape the EFCC’s structure and operations.
According to him, the current system gives “too much room for interference,” especially from the executive arm of government.
“The existing Act does not provide sufficient guarantees for the independence of the Commission, exposing it to external interference,” he said while presenting the bill.
Gagdi argued that if the president could be limited of the power to remove the EFCC chairman without approval from the National Assembly, it would now require a two-thirds majority of both chambers before any chairman can be sacked.
Further stressing his points, Gagdi highlighted growing challenges such as cyber fraud, cryptocurrency scams, terrorism financing and illegal money channels, stressing that modern crime needs modern laws.
The lawmakers believe this step will introduce better checks and balances.
Members who supported the bill maintained that the EFCC Act has not kept pace with new forms of financial crime.
They insisted that reform is necessary if the agency must tackle corruption at all levels without fear or favour.
After a unanimous voice vote, the bill was passed for second reading and has now been forwarded to the appropriate committee for further examination.
However, OTN News recalls that the former EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, was suspended by President Bola Tinubu over alleged corruption and abuse of office.
This controversial move sparked renewed calls for legal reforms to prevent political interference in the Commission.
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