The Presidency has warned opposition politicians against actions that could weaken Nigeria’s democratic and anti-corruption institutions, accusing them of scapegoating, politicizing accountability, and engaging in subterfuge to evade scrutiny.
In a statement on Sunday, issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency emphasized that efforts to discredit national institutions for “cheap political gains” will not deter President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration from upholding the rule of law.
The statement responded to claims by opposition figures alleging that Nigeria’s multi-party democracy is at risk following the defection of prominent politicians to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Dismissing these allegations, the Presidency said the claims ignored constitutional rights, stressing that “our constitution guarantees freedom of association and allows citizens to change their political affiliations whenever they choose.” It added that those who joined the APC did so voluntarily, motivated by “the visible achievements of President Tinubu’s reform agenda.”
Questioning the opposition’s selective outrage, the statement asked, “When politicians were moving in large numbers to the now-declining Peoples Democratic Party between 2000 and 2015, was Nigeria’s democracy under threat?”
Addressing claims that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being used to target opposition figures, the Presidency rejected the notion, underscoring the agency’s independence.
“While the Presidency does not speak for the EFCC, it is important to note that the EFCC is a statutory, independent institution empowered to investigate and prosecute financial crimes without interference or favour,” the statement said. It added that the EFCC investigates individuals irrespective of their political affiliation, position, or status, affirming that President Tinubu “does not direct anti-corruption agencies on whom to investigate, arrest, or prosecute.”
The Presidency described allegations of “weaponisation” as a diversionary tactic, claiming they are being promoted by politicians who lack credible campaign issues to challenge the APC’s achievements in less than three years.
“No one is above the law. Accountability applies to everyone, in and out of office. Political alignment should not shield anyone from the EFCC’s statutory duties,” the statement stressed, highlighting the agency’s recent contributions to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
It also noted that some of the opposition signatories had previously been investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC before President Tinubu took office in 2023, while others were implicated in international money-laundering cases with accomplices jailed abroad.
The Presidency urged politicians to refrain from undermining national institutions and to avoid using politics to escape accountability or encourage impunity.
Concluding, the statement reaffirmed that the fight against corruption is a collective national responsibility that must not be trivialized by “baseless allegations, biased narratives, or politicized claims.”
