(DDM) – Nigeria’s House of Representatives has advanced a major legislative step to limit presidential authority over the removal of the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The decision followed the passage of a bill for second reading on Thursday, October 23, aimed at amending the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 to guarantee greater independence for the anti-graft agency.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the lawmakers are seeking to prevent undue political interference in corruption investigations and ensure that the EFCC functions without external pressure.
The bill, sponsored by Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, seeks to alter existing provisions by removing the president’s power to dismiss the EFCC chairman without the approval of the National Assembly.
Under the new proposal, a two-thirds majority vote of both the Senate and the House of Representatives would be required before any EFCC chairman can be sacked.
Hon. Gagdi, while presenting the bill, stressed that the current EFCC law provides “too much room for interference,” especially from the executive arm of government.
He explained that the absence of strong institutional independence has made it easier for political actors to influence anti-corruption proceedings in the country.
“The existing Act does not provide sufficient guarantees for the independence of the Commission, exposing it to external interference,” Gagdi said during plenary.
The Plateau lawmaker further emphasized that the amendment would strengthen accountability mechanisms and give the EFCC operational autonomy to carry out its duties effectively.
He also highlighted new challenges confronting the commission, including cyber fraud, cryptocurrency scams, terrorism financing, and other emerging financial crimes that require modern legislative responses.
Other lawmakers who supported the bill agreed that the EFCC Act, last reviewed over two decades ago, has not kept pace with global trends in financial crime detection and prosecution.
They maintained that empowering the EFCC with structural independence is critical to ensuring that corruption cases are pursued without fear or favour.
Following a unanimous voice vote, the bill was passed for second reading and referred to the relevant committee for detailed scrutiny and recommendations.
Lawmakers believe that the proposed reform would establish a clear separation between the executive and the anti-graft agency, protecting the latter from arbitrary presidential influence.
This latest development comes months after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended former EFCC chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa over alleged corruption and abuse of office, a move that sparked widespread calls for institutional reforms.
Political observers note that the suspension reignited debate about the fragility of Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, which critics argue has been repeatedly undermined by political interests.
If the new amendment is eventually passed and signed into law, it would mark a significant shift in Nigeria’s anti-corruption architecture, placing more power in the hands of the legislature and ensuring that the EFCC’s leadership cannot be dismissed without due process.
Supporters of the bill see it as a step toward deepening democratic checks and balances, while others warn that legislative oversight must not itself become a tool for political bargaining.
As the bill moves to committee stage, attention now turns to whether the proposed amendment will secure final approval in both chambers, and how it might redefine the future relationship between Nigeria’s executive branch and its foremost anti-corruption body.
