The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has commended Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, for what he described as transformational leadership, citing improvements in infrastructure, education and the state’s overall development.

Olukoyede gave the commendation while delivering the keynote address at the 30th anniversary celebration of Zamfara State, held at the Grand Chamber of the Government House, Gusau.

The anniversary lecture also featured presentations by notable academics, including Professors Tijjani Muhammad Bande, Sulaiman Kura, Murtala Rufai and Taofik Aminu, among others.

The EFCC chairman said he conducted due diligence on Zamfara State and Governor Lawal before accepting the invitation to deliver the keynote address, noting that his office’s ethical standards generally discouraged his participation in political events.

“By virtue of the ethical demands of my office, I don’t attend political events; I don’t go to the Government House as a matter of principle. But when I received this invitation, something told me to accept and see what was going on there,” he said.

Olukoyede said his assessment of the state’s development over the past three years influenced his decision to accept the invitation and support the governor’s efforts.

He added that he briefed President Bola Tinubu on his findings and the need to support Lawal’s development initiatives.

“I did a little due diligence on His Excellency and the state. I saw when the state was created and noticed the drastic change over the past three years. And I made up my mind. I went to meet my boss, Mr President, and he said, go,” he said.

Describing his visit to Zamfara as his first, Olukoyede said the new airport in Gusau was among the developments that immediately caught his attention.

He also highlighted newly paved roads, solar-powered streetlights and other visible infrastructure projects, describing the changes as evidence of the state’s evolving development outlook.

According to him, Zamfara had historically struggled with negative perceptions and slow development despite its natural resources and potential.

He noted that although the state was created in 1996, its development had remained gradual for years despite the efforts of successive administrations.

However, he said the current physical transformation of Gusau reflected a broader shift in the state’s development trajectory.

The EFCC chairman also commended the state government’s reported improvements in performance in national examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

He said the expansion of public infrastructure and improvements in education demonstrated the impact of deliberate reform initiatives.

Olukoyede described the theme of the anniversary lecture, Accountability and Responsibility in Transformational Government, as relevant to the state’s development aspirations.

He further said inviting the EFCC chairman to address the people of the state demonstrated the governor’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

In his remarks, Governor Lawal said the anniversary theme, Reflections, Achievements, and the Future, was designed to examine the challenges that had shaped Zamfara’s development and identify the responsibilities of leaders in securing a better future.

He said the anniversary had provided an opportunity for intellectual engagement beyond ceremonial activities, with discussions focusing on public accountability, community participation in tackling insecurity, preservation of history and culture, and the relationship between security and socio-economic development.

Lawal said the discussions aligned with his administration’s Six-Point Rescue Agenda and the Zamfara State Development Plan 2025–2034, which provides a long-term framework for economic growth, infrastructure development, social welfare, human capital development, governance and environmental sustainability.

He stressed the need to translate the policy commitments into measurable improvements in the lives of residents.

The governor also expressed appreciation to the keynote speaker, presenters, discussants, organising committee and other participants for contributing to the anniversary celebration.