‘Silence Not Weakness, I Will Speak In Due Course’ – Sacked FCCPC Boss

• President Tinubu had in January this year written the Senate, asking that it approve the disengagement of Mr Babatunde Irukera as the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
• Recall that the red chamber approved Tinubu’s request to sack Irukera 

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (FCCPC) immediate-past CEO, Babatunde Irukera, says he would address President Bola Tinubu’s removal of him from office “in due course.”

Irukera made this statement on Friday in a post on X in response to a comment requesting that he elaborate on the events leading up to his termination.

An X user had quoted a news link which read: “Why I sacked Irukera as FCCPC boss – Tinubu tells senate”.

“At this point, Mr. Irukera has to speak up,” the user with the X name Malachy Odo II, had written.

Irukera had responded with: “In due course. Silence is discipline, not weakness”.

Tinubu had asked the senate to remove Irukera as FCCPC CEO because he was “not efficient”.

“I want to inform you of the removal of the chief executive officer (CEO)/ executive vice-chair of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) due to his inability to effectively perform the duties of his office,” the president said in a letter to the upper legislative chamber.

“In line with the administration’s drive to strengthen the mechanisms and protect the rights of consumers and provide a strong basis for enhanced contributions to the nation’s economy by key growth-enabling institutions, it has become pertinent to restructure and reposition critical agencies and the federal government for efficiency and ineffectiveness.

“Consequently, I wish to request the approval of the senate for the removal of Babatunde Irukera as CEO in line with section 8(a,2) of the FCCPC 2018.”

On Wednesday, the red chamber approved Tinubu’s request.

The former FCCPC CEO has been lauded by a cross section of Nigerians for putting “the commission on the map”, sensitising Nigerians on their rights as consumers, sanitising the digital lending space, and battling price gouging, among other reforms credited to him during his spell in office.