…Presidency dismisses claims as ‘distraction’
Prominent opposition leaders have raised the alarm over what they describe as a growing threat to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, accusing the administration of President Bola Tinubu of politicising anti-graft institutions to intimidate and weaken opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a joint press statement issued on December 15, 2025, and signed by former Senate President David Mark, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, Chief Bode George and others, the opposition leaders alleged that key state institutions—particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)—are increasingly being perceived as instruments of selective justice and political persecution.
The opposition figures warned that Nigeria was sliding towards a de facto one-party state, claiming that anti-corruption agencies were being deployed to pressure opposition governors and leaders into defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). They argued that recent defections to the APC had reinforced public suspicion that political coercion, rather than free choice or ideological alignment, was driving the trend.
According to the statement, the alleged “weaponisation” of the EFCC has undermined public confidence in the fight against corruption. The opposition cited instances in which former ministers accused of serious wrongdoing allegedly faced no prosecution, while opposition figures were subjected to swift investigations, arrests and media trials. They warned that continued selective enforcement could erode democratic accountability and destabilise the polity as the country approaches another election cycle.
As part of their demands, the opposition called for the immediate depoliticisation of the EFCC and a return to what they described as its core statutory mandate of impartial investigation and prevention of economic crimes. They also proposed embedding anti-graft operatives directly into government payment and expenditure processes at the federal, state and local government levels, arguing that preventive oversight would reduce corruption before funds are spent.
In addition, the opposition urged the Attorney-General of the Federation, in consultation with the National Assembly, to establish an independent review body to examine public accounts of the federal, state and local governments between 2015 and 2025. The proposed body, to be chaired by a retired judge and made up of representatives from civil society, professional bodies, security agencies, anti-graft institutions and all political parties represented in the National Assembly, would be mandated to publish its findings and recommend reforms to strengthen the EFCC.
The statement also indicated that opposition leaders planned to brief foreign diplomatic missions and international partners, including the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, World Bank and United Nations, on their concerns about the alleged politicisation of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.
However, the Presidency swiftly rejected the allegations, describing them as baseless and politically motivated. In a response signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency dismissed the opposition figures as “amusing lots” seeking scapegoats for their political failures.
The Presidency maintained that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of association and that politicians defecting to the APC were doing so voluntarily, motivated by what it described as the “noticeable gains” of President Tinubu’s reform agenda. It questioned whether democracy was ever considered threatened during periods when politicians defected en masse to the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party between 2000 and 2015.
On the EFCC, the Presidency insisted that the agency is independent and operates without interference from President Tinubu. It stated that the President does not direct any anti-corruption agency on whom to investigate or prosecute, stressing that accountability applies to all Nigerians regardless of political affiliation.
The Presidency further argued that allegations of “weaponisation” were attempts by embattled politicians to evade scrutiny, noting that some of the statement’s signatories had been investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC even before Tinubu assumed office in 2023, while others had been implicated in international money laundering cases.
“No one is above the law,” the statement said, adding that the EFCC’s recent role in Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list demonstrated the effectiveness of its work.
