Tinubu  Shames Falana, Appoints Aliyu, Fmr Jigawa Attorney General  New ICPC Chairman

By Ayodele Oni

President Bola Tinubu has put a lie to the claim made by Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, over the President’s appointee to the office of the Chairman of the  Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Falana had, in an interview on Channels Television Monday, claimed that the President has appointed Bolaji Owasanoye as the Chairman of the ICPC.

He criticized the President for appointing both the Chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and that of ICPC from same geo-political zones – South-west. The President had earlier appointed Ola Olukoyode the Chairman of the EFCC.

Said Falana: ” If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from same Zone. If there are two positions in the Public Service, one must go to the North, and one must go to the South. That is the law in Nigeria today.

“So, I am not comfortable with the fact that the heads of the EFCC and the ICPC are from the same Zone. We have in this country, the Federal Character Commission Act and also by virtue of Section 14 of the Constitution, appointments must reflect Federal Character.”

But on Tuesday, the President put a lie to Falana’s claim of Owasanoye’s appointment as ICPC Chairman by appointing Musa Adamu Aliyu, a former Attorney General of Jigawa State as the Chairman.

While Aliyu’s name has been sent to the Senate for confirmation, that of the Secretary, Clifford Okwudiri, appointed same Monday as Aliyu, does not need Senate’s confirmation, and so is with immediate effect.

Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Tuesday stated that the appointments are  “In exercise of powers conferred on the President as established in Section 3(6) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and in furtherance of the Renewed Hope mandate to reform key institutions and invigorate Nigeria’s war on corruption.

According to the statement, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer-designate is Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu while Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu, will serve as Secretary to the Commission.

It added that “The new Chairman of the ICPC is nominated for confirmation by the Nigerian Senate, following the President’s approval of the outgoing Chairman’s request to proceed on pre-end of tenure leave beginning on November 4, 2023, ahead of the expiration of his tenure on February 3, 2024.

“The position of Secretary to the Commission does not require Senate confirmation and, therefore, by the directive of the President, the appointment of Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu as Secretary of the Commission takes immediate effect.

“Musa Adamu Aliyu has embarked upon many far-reaching reforms as the Attorney General of Jigawa State since September 2019 and holds Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees in Law. He was also named as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria-designate in October 2023.

“Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu is a lawyer with over 30 years of experience and has served meritoriously in the public service as a Member of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission and Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council.

“The President implores the new management team of the ICPC to always be above board as they discharge their duties without fear or favour concerning all matters before them.”