Bawa’s nomination will achieve required reforms in EFCC – Omotola

The Director-General, Center for Institutions Reforms in Nigeria, CIRN, Lai Omotola, has portrayed Abdulrasheed Bawa’s appointment to head the EFCC as qualified to achieve required reforms in the anti-graft agency.

Responding to the development, Omotola commended President Buhari. He said that the nomination clearly shows that Buhari is resolute in making reforms that would springboard Nigeria to greater height in all sectors.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated that he is indeed a man of reforms. By choosing Bawa, he has demonstrated his commitment towards the continuous fight against corruption in Nigeria.

“He has shown the commitment in two forms: one; he has nominated the youngest man in history to run EFCC, secondly, for the first time in history of EFCC, an operative from the anti-graft agency will run the commission.

“You will recall that during the travails of the former Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu; when he was being investigated by the presidential panel, CIRN called for an amendment of EFCC Act that would make an insider within the operative to take control of the day-to-day operations and workings of the anti-graft commission.

“At present, Abdulrasheed Bawa is the head of Lagos Zone of the commission. Within a short time, we have seen a lot of reforms he has brought to the zone. He has changed the ambience of EFCC and he has also ensured that operations of EFCC in terms of Investigation are based on specialized departments; meaning that it now operates in a specialized way,” He said.

Omotola disclosed that the nomination shows the belief of the President that youths have the required knowledge and the capacity to govern Nigeria efficiently.

He appealed to the Senate to quickly confirm the appointment of Bawa as the substantive head of EFCC.

“We therefore request the Senate to accept the nomination of Bawa according to the rules of the Senate.

“We are optimistic that the emergence of the young and vibrant operative who happens to be among the first set of cadet to be enrolled in the commission in 2005 would make all of us proud as it will bring fresh air into the EFCC,” Omotola stated.