Reps Move To Limit President’s Power Over EFCC Chairman

The House of Representatives has taken a major step toward curbing presidential control over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by passing for second reading a bill that would require National Assembly approval before the EFCC chairman can be removed from office.

The proposed amendment to the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004 was sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi, chairman of the House Committee on Navy. The bill seeks to make it mandatory for two-thirds of lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly to support the removal of the EFCC chairman, effectively ending the president’s unilateral power to dismiss the agency’s head.

Leading the debate, Gagdi explained that the bill, titled A Bill for an Act to Amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, and for Related Matters (HB. 2493), aims to strengthen the EFCC’s independence, accountability, and effectiveness in the fight against corruption and financial crimes.

He said the nature of financial crimes has evolved since the EFCC Act was first enacted two decades ago. According to him, emerging threats such as cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, illicit financial flows, terrorism financing, and real estate money laundering have exposed weaknesses in the existing law.

Gagdi noted that despite the EFCC’s achievements, the current law leaves the commission vulnerable to external influence and political interference, which undermines its credibility and independence. The new bill, he said, seeks to fix that by ensuring greater autonomy and stability in its leadership structure.

Under the proposed amendment, the EFCC chairman can only be removed with the approval of two-thirds of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This safeguard, Gagdi argued, would protect the commission’s leadership from arbitrary dismissal and ensure it operates free from undue pressure.

He added that reforming the EFCC Act would not only strengthen the agency’s institutional framework but also restore public trust in its operations. The bill, according to him, aims to create a more transparent and efficient anti-graft system that can effectively address the growing complexity of economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.

The House will continue further legislative consideration of the amendment in the coming weeks as part of its broader efforts to reform the nation’s anti-corruption laws and institutions.