WATCH THE VIDEO HERE THE Supreme Court is set to deliver a landmark judgment today on the constitutionality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s anti-graft agency. Nineteen state governments, led by Kogi State, have challenged the legality of the EFCC, arguing that its establishment act violates the country’s constitution. The states contend that the EFCC Establishment Act was enacted without following the necessary procedures outlined in Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires the approval of the majority of state houses of assembly. They claim that the law, as enacted, cannot be applied to states that did not approve it. The EFCC has expressed concern over the challenge, with its Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, stating that those pushing for the overhaul are “feeling the heat of its work.” Uwujaren emphasized the importance of the commission in fighting corruption, saying, “Nigeria cannot do without the EFCC.” A seven-member panel of justices, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, will deliver the judgment, which will determine the fate of the EFCC. The outcome is eagerly awaited by the governors and the EFCC. The states that joined Kogi in the suit are Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross-River and Niger. Uwujaren noted that those behind the call for the overhaul were determined to “derail” the commission’s anti-corruption fight. “So, 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.” The judgment is expected to have significant implications for Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.
Supreme Court to rule on EFCC’s legality today
