The Senate has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to sack the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCP) Executive Vice-Chair, Babatunde Irukera.
Tinubu in a letter read at the plenary on Wednesday by the Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio, said that he was demanding the sack of Irukere based on inefficiency.
According to the FCCPC Act, the President needs the approval of the National Assembly to sack the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Commission.
However, Tinubu had in January sacked Irukera and the Director-General/CEO of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr Alexander Okoh with immediate effect.
After deliberations, the request was put to a voice vote where the ayes had it and the Senate President hit the gavel.
Irukera was appointed by the immediate-past President Muhammadu Buhari as director-general of Consumer Protection Council (CPC) in April 2017 before the agency was renamed FCCPC.
He was removed on January 8, 2024, while serving his second and final tenure in office.
Irukera was sacked alongside the director-general of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alex Okoh, in conformity with plans to restructure and reposition critical agencies of the Federal Government towards protecting the rights of Nigerian consumers and providing a strong basis for enhanced contributions to the nation’s economy by key growth-enabling institutions, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
Irukera had in January thanked Tinubu for the opportunity to have served Nigerians.
In the post made on X (formerly Twitter), Irukerasaid Nigerians deserved a better deal, hence he was leaving behind a strong institutional advocate in the Commission and an outstanding team of “soldiers” who work for the cause of fair markets.
Irukera wrote: “Grateful for the opportunity to have served the incredibly vibrant & loyal Nigerian citizens/consumers. They deserve a better deal. I leave behind a strong Institutional advocate in the FCCPC, & an outstanding team of soldiers who work there daily for the cause of fair markets.”
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