Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of weaponising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against opposition members.
His statement follows the detention of former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday over allegations of illegal withdrawal of more than ₦189 billion during his tenure. According to EFCC sources, the withdrawals were carried out incrementally over six years of his eight-year tenure.
The senator honoured the EFCC’s invitation at about 11:30 a.m. yesterday in Abuja. Interrogation commenced immediately, and he was slated to spend the night in custody. The withdrawals were reportedly made from three accounts — the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account, the Government House account, and the Secretary to the State Government account.
About five other suspects — cashiers and government officials already identified by the agency — may either testify against Tambuwal or stand trial alongside him.
Last month, Tambuwal was reportedly quoted as saying: “We’re still members of PDP, and we’re going nowhere, but we will work for ADC.” He served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015 and governed Sokoto State from 2015 to 2023.
Attempt to Harass Opposition – Atiku
Reacting to Tambuwal’s detention, Atiku alleged that the move was part of a broader agenda to “harass, intimidate, and decimate” members of the opposition coalition.
“The only reason the EFCC has detained the former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is because he is a member of the opposition Coalition,” Atiku said. “It is a continuation of the Tinubu-led administration’s agenda to intimidate the opposition.”
The former Vice President, who played a key role in establishing the EFCC during his time in office, alleged that the agency’s anti-corruption drive had been “objectified” as a political tool to coerce opponents into joining the ruling party.
“Today, anyone who associates with the opposition is a target for phantom corruption allegations. As soon as they are coerced into the political agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, their ‘sins’ are forgiven,” he said.
Atiku warned that such practices were eroding institutional integrity and creating fertile ground for corruption. He claimed there was a “growing trend” of anti-corruption bodies being deployed to force opposition governors and political leaders into the ruling party.
While calling for unity in the fight against genuine corruption, Atiku urged civil society, Nigerians, and the international community to condemn what he described as “anti-democratic machinations” aimed at pushing Nigeria towards a one-party state.
“We will never succumb to these tactics. The use of anti-corruption agencies as a political agenda must be roundly condemned,” he said.
Don’t Intimidate Opposition – ADC Tells EFCC
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has also criticised the EFCC’s actions, warning the Commission to focus on corruption rather than “harassing” opposition figures.
It accused the EFCC of acting like a political hit squad for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and warned that the trend could erode public trust in the institution, undermining the anti-corruption fight.
ADC Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement that the EFCC’s recent habit of reopening closed cases, digging up old files, and targeting opposition members suggests it is operating as a political enforcer rather than an anti-graft body.
The ADC urged Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the independent media to resist what it called a “dangerous slide into dictatorship” and to ensure the EFCC remains an impartial agency funded by taxpayers, not the ruling party.
“In recent days, several senior members of the opposition coalition have received EFCC summons that are clearly politically motivated. These are not fresh cases arising from new evidence but files reopened in reaction to emergent political affiliations to intimidate key opposition figures,” the statement read.
It continued: “The EFCC was created to be a fearless defender of the Nigerian people’s trust, applying the law evenly to all, friend or foe, ruling party or opposition. Today, that vision appears to have been compromised. The Commission now operates like a department of the APC, deployed to fight government critics and opposition figures, thereby achieving what the government cannot achieve through public debate.
“Meanwhile, we have observed how investigations into ruling party allies quietly fade away, while opposition figures are dragged before the court of public opinion with sometimes decade-old allegations that have been hastily revived as fresh evidence. This is selective prosecution, and selective prosecution is the death of justice.
“In today’s Nigeria, one’s guilt or innocence depends on party membership, not evidence. For example, since a certain former governor defected to the APC with his state’s entire political machinery, the EFCC’s investigations into his administration have vanished from public view. Not a question has been asked. Not a document leaked. Not a single update. Yet the same EFCC somehow finds means to reopen old cases against opposition leaders and pursue stale allegations against them.
“It does not augur well for the EFCC if people think that all it takes to attract the Commission’s attention is to stand opposed to the ruling party, and all it takes for protection is to align with the government. Unfortunately, this perception is now widely established in Nigeria, and the Commission’s recent actions — including the ongoing harassment of opposition leaders — have only strengthened it.
“The ADC calls on all Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the independent media to resist this misuse of public institutions for partisan objectives. The EFCC does not belong to the APC; it belongs to the Nigerian people. It is funded by taxpayers, not the ruling party.”
