Senate confirms Abdulrasheed Bawa as EFCC chairman

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Abdulrasheed Bawa as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Bawa’s confirmation came after over two hours of intensive grilling by 19 senators who sought answers to various questions from the nominee, including the allegations that he had sold off properties confiscated by the anti-graft agency.

He, however, denied the allegations.

The screening came just one week after President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded a letter to the Senate seeking Bawa’s confirmation as the EFCC boss.

The President had in the letter communicated his decision to appoint the 40-year-old Bawa to take over from the sacked Ibrahim Magu, citing Paragraph 2(3) of Part1, CAP E1 of EFCC Act 2004, for the appointment.

While answering questions at the screening session, Bawa noted that the EFCC’s establishment Act empowers the commission to investigate any person suspected to have acquired unexplained wealth without any formal petition in consonance with Unexplained Wealth Order and Act (UWO/UWA) obtainable in advanced countries.

Some of the Senators praised the EFCC chairman.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: My mission at EFCC, new EFCC boss, Bawa, at Senate screening

The Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Oluremi Tinubu, said: “What you have shown is diligence, perseverance, and hard work which are all the requirements to get to the top. We want to see a lot of youths like you showing other youths in Nigeria that if you want to get to the top, you don’t have to be destructive.”

The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, reechoed Tinubu’s sentiment.

He said: “I am so impressed by this very awesome presentation by Mr. Bawa, the Chairman of the EFCC. There would be no need to ask him any questions. Clearly, he is a very brilliant young man.

“Within a couple of hours, he has been able to showcase himself. Ordinarily, he should take a bow. This nomination is unique. It is a nomination that has generated hope for millions of our youths in this country.”

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