Senate Okays Irukera’s Removal as FCCPC Boss

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate yesterday approved President Bola Tinubu’s request for the premature removal of Babatunde Irukera as Chief Executive/Vice-Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

Tinubu had on Monday, January 9, 2023 sacked both the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alex Okoh, and the Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, FCCPC, Irukera  with immediate effect.

This decision was sequel to a motion by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, (APC, Ekiti Central).

Bamidele said: “The Senate do consider the request of Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the removal of Chief Executive/Vice-Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer protection Commission (FCCPC) in accordance with Section 8(1)(bb) & (2) of the Federal Competition and Consumer protection Commission Act, 2018.”

Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West) observed that Irukera has not completed his term of office.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, however, made him understand that it was not the duty of the Senate to question the President’s nomination, but to either approve it or reject it.

Akpabio then put the question for those who either supported or rejected the removal of Irukera as CE/VC, FCCPC boss and majority of the lawmakers, through voice vote, supported his sacking.