The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has voiced strong disapproval of ongoing calls for its overhaul, asserting that those advocating for such changes are individuals “feeling the heat” of the commission’s intensified efforts against corruption.
The EFCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, tlmade this known during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘The Morning Brief’ program on Monday.
He emphasized the importance of the EFCC in the fight against graft in Nigeria, especially at a time when corruption remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges.
This development comes in the wake of a lawsuit brought against the EFCC by 16 state governments.
The suit, initiated by the Kogi State Government and joined by Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Nasarawa, and several other states, challenges the commission’s legality.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for October 22, with a seven-member panel of justices, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, presiding over the matter.
Defending the commission, Uwujaren expressed shock at the legal battle, urging Nigerians to see through what he described as a “shenanigan” meant to undermine the EFCC’s vital role in combating corruption.
“We are really shocked by what is happening. Nigerians should see through this shenanigan and oppose it because I don’t see how this country can survive without the EFCC, given the kind of corruption problem that we have. Nigeria cannot do without the EFCC,” he remarked.
Uwujaren questioned the motivations of those behind the lawsuit, suggesting that the move is less about genuine concerns for legality and more about disrupting the commission’s progress.
“I am worried that, with the kind of problem we have with corruption in this country, some people would go to court to challenge the legality of the EFCC. For citizens in their states, I am not sure that the EFCC is their greatest problem,” he added, hinting at political motivations. “What you see playing out is simply people who are feeling the heat of the work of the EFCC and who want to derail what is going on within the EFCC.”
According to Uwujaren, these actions stem from the perception of the EFCC as a significant threat to those who would rather not face scrutiny.
He described the lawsuit as a “gimmick” aimed at derailing the anti-corruption fight.
“They see the EFCC as a threat, and purely that is what is playing out. I think Nigerians can see through the gimmick of those who are behind the challenge to the legality of the commission,” he stated.
Uwujaren warned that those calling for an overhaul are determined to weaken the anti-corruption crusade, stating, “People who are concerned about transparency and accountability will wish for the EFCC to be ‘killed’. Let me use the word ‘killed’ because that is the agenda. They simply want to derail the fight against corruption because they don’t want accountability in their domains.”
Amid the ongoing controversy, legal experts have expressed differing opinions on the commission’s constitutionality. Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba and Femi Falana, have taken opposing stances.
Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, has questioned the legal foundation of the EFCC, asserting that it was unlawfully constituted.
In letters to the Senate and House of Representatives dated October 14, 2024, Agbakoba wrote, “I very strongly believe the EFCC is unconstitutionally established. The powers under which it was established go beyond the powers of the National Assembly. The EFCC is an unlawful organisation.”
However, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, in a separate letter to the National Assembly three days later, disagreed with Agbakoba’s position.
Falana argued that the claim of unconstitutionality was flawed, as it was based on a misunderstanding of federalism.
He maintained that the establishment of the EFCC did not violate the principles of federalism, offering a direct rebuttal to Agbakoba’s legal argument.
As the legal debate intensifies, the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing could have significant implications for Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework and the future of the EFCC.
