The Presidency has firmly denied allegations that President Bola Tinubu is using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate or harass opposition politicians, describing such claims as baseless and politically motivated distractions.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the government emphasised that defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are entirely voluntary. According to Onanuga, politicians joining the APC do so freely, driven by confidence in the visible outcomes of President Tinubu’s reform agenda.
The response comes amid accusations from opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who in a joint statement alleged that the administration is undermining multi-party democracy through selective anti-corruption probes aimed at weakening rivals ahead of future elections. They cited a pattern of defections, suggesting coercion via EFCC investigations.
Onanuga countered that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of association, allowing individuals to change political affiliations without pressure. He pointed out that similar mass movements to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2000 and 2015 did not trigger claims of democratic threats. “None of the people who joined the governing APC was pressured to do so,” the statement read.
Regarding the EFCC, the Presidency reiterated the agency’s independence, stating that President Tinubu does not direct it on investigations, arrests, or prosecutions. “The EFCC is an independent institution established by law and empowered to carry out its statutory responsibilities without interference or favour,” Onanuga affirmed. He noted that some critics had faced EFCC scrutiny before Tinubu took office in 2023, while others are linked to international probes.
Recent high-profile defections, including those of governors from states like Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Bayelsa to the APC, have intensified debates on Nigeria’s political landscape. Reports indicate these shifts reflect internal crises in opposition parties rather than external coercion, with the APC attributing them to failures in opposition management.
The Presidency urged affected politicians to defend themselves through legal processes rather than politicising accountability. It highlighted successes such as Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as evidence of genuine anti-corruption efforts. “No one is above the law. Political affiliation should not shield anyone from investigation,” Onanuga stressed.
This exchange underscores ongoing tensions in Nigeria’s democracy, where anti-corruption drives intersect with political realignments.