After almost one and half hour of questioning, the Senate on February 15th , 2012, confirmed the appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde as the third substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The confirmation took place at the normal plenary session of the Senate. A motion to consider his confirmation as requested by President Goodluck Jonathan, in accordance with Section 2(3) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004, was moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Udoma-Egba and seconded by Senator Ganiyu.

Solomon Senators put several questions to Lamorde to assess his strength and competence. Some of these questions bordered on issues of firming up the anti-graft war; fast-tracking judicial processes to secure more convictions; ridding the EFCC tritself of corruption; independence of the EFCC in the face of a possible executive interference and the need for the establishment of a Special Court to try corruption cases.He said the delay in getting conviction was due to the congestion of cases in the conventional courts. “Dedicated court for corruption cases will help to a large extent in expeditious disposition of corruption cases as corruption has become an issue that affects national life”. He reminded the Senate of the heavy load of work on an average judge in a conventional court and that a Special Court will minimize such overload on judges and make the wheel of justice run more smoothly.

Lamorde who also defended the need for improved funding of the EFCC, especially the construction of the headquarters building said the was agency operating from about five rented locations in Abuja. “The completion of the headquarters building will help put our operations under one roof; a development which will discourage movement of files and documents all over the city, provision of security in all the offices can then be concentrated on the headquarters”, he explained

The Chairman also dispelled insinuations by some Senators that the EFCC was being used as an attack dog to settle political scores. According to Lamorde, “that insinuation is not correct. I acted as Chairman between January and May, 2008, that is a period of five months, I have been acting as chairman since November 23, 2012. Nobody has interfered with our operations. I think it is all a matter of perception”, he said. Lamorde replaces Mrs. Farida Waziri who was sacked on November 23, 2011.

Media & Publicity Unit
16th February, 2012