The Presidency has dismissed allegations by opposition political parties that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is deploying the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a tool to harass or witch-hunt political opponents.
Reacting to the claims on Sunday, the President’s spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said the allegations were unfounded, stressing that the Presidency neither directs nor interferes in the operations of the EFCC. He described the anti-graft agency as an independent institution established by law and empowered to carry out its statutory responsibilities without fear or favour.
According to Onanuga, individuals invited or investigated by the EFCC should be prepared to defend themselves if they are confident of their innocence. He emphasised that President Tinubu does not issue instructions to any anti-corruption agency on who to investigate, arrest or prosecute.
“President Tinubu has far-reaching state matters to address and does not engage in political targeting,” the spokesperson said, adding that prosecutions are conducted through due process in the courts, not by executive manipulation. He noted that those found not guilty would, in the end, be vindicated.
The Presidency’s response followed recent arrests and investigations involving former senior government officials. Among them is Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice under the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who is being investigated by the EFCC over alleged irregularities in the management of funds recovered from the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, among other issues.
Similarly, the EFCC recently arraigned a former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, over allegations of misappropriation of more than N2.2 billion during his tenure in office.
Malami, who was initially granted bail, later had it revoked over claims that he failed to meet the stipulated bail conditions. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) described the revocation as a political witch-hunt, linking it to Malami’s reported appearance at a political gathering in Kebbi State ahead of the 2027 governorship race.
However, the Presidency urged opposition parties to recognise the EFCC as an agency mandated to investigate and prosecute financial crimes regardless of an individual’s political affiliation or social standing.
It expressed concern that politicians who claim to be committed to national renewal were now, in its view, undermining accountability and probity. The Presidency argued that allegations of “weaponisation” were distractions by politicians struggling to present credible alternatives to the achievements of President Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in less than three years in office.
Reiterating that no one is above the law, the Presidency stressed that political affiliation should not serve as a shield against investigation or prosecution. It noted that the EFCC’s work had contributed to Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
The Presidency also observed that some signatories to the opposition’s statement had previously been investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC even before President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, while others had been implicated in international money laundering probes, with some accomplices already jailed abroad.
“Such politicians should not undermine the integrity of national institutions or weaken the collective fight against corruption by politicising legitimate investigations,” the statement said, adding that the anti-corruption campaign is a shared national responsibility that should not be trivialised by what it described as baseless and politicised narratives.
The Presidency further accused opposition parties of seeking scapegoats for their failures and attempting to mislead the public for short-term political gain. It also rejected claims that multiparty democracy was under threat due to the defection of prominent politicians to the APC.
According to the Presidency, Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of association, including the right of citizens to change political parties at will. It insisted that no individual was coerced into joining the ruling party, noting that defections were driven by confidence in the Tinubu administration’s reform agenda.
“Those who joined the APC did so voluntarily, motivated by the visible gains of President Tinubu’s reform programme,” the Presidency said.
