Supreme court dismisses suit challenging legality of EFCC
The apex court ruled that the suit lacked merit, affirming the legality of the creation EFCC and the two other anti-corruption agencies.
The supreme court has dismissed a suit filed by some state governors challenging the legality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act and two other anti-corruption agencies.
The apex court ruled that the suit lacked merit, affirming the legality of the creation EFCC and the two other anti-corruption agencies.
Before the ruling, 19 state governments have challenged the constitutionality of the laws establishing the EFCC.
While two states – Imo and Bauchi – joined the suit as co-plaintiffs, Osun state sought a consolidation of the suit, while three states – Anambra, Ebonyi and Adamawa – withdrew their suits.
The 19 states still in the suit are Kogi, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Oyo, Benue, Plateau, Cross River, Ondo, Niger, Edo, Bauchi, Imo, Osun, Nasarawa, Ogun, and Taraba.
The states argued that it was the UN Convention against corruption that was reduced into the EFCC Establishment Act and that in enacting this law in 2004, the provision of Section 12 of the Nigerian constitution was not followed.
They argued that in bringing a convention into the Nigerian law, the provision of Section 12 must be complied with.
This was as Olisa Agbakoba, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), also said that EFCC lacked the powers to interfere in state affairs.
