The Presidency has dismissed allegations that the ruling All Progressives Congress is pressuring opposition politicians to defect and weaponizing anti-corruption agencies to harass political adversaries.
In a statement issued Sunday night, December 14, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, insisted that politicians joining the APC are doing so voluntarily, motivated by what he described as the visible achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda.
The statement, titled “A failed opposition engaging in subterfuge and the empty search for scapegoats,” was a response to criticism from opposition figures who had gathered earlier on Sunday to express concerns about threats to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
Onanuga characterized the opposition as comprising remnants of a “dying political party” and unsuccessful political aspirants attempting to gain traction through baseless accusations. He defended the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely associate and change their political affiliations.
“None of the people who joined the governing APC was pressured to do so. They all did so of their own free will. They are being motivated by the noticeable gains of President Tinubu’s reform programme,” the statement read.
The presidential aide drew historical parallels, questioning why similar concerns were not raised when politicians flocked to the Peoples Democratic Party between 2000 and 2015. “We may ask: when politicians were moving in droves to the now-dying Peoples Democratic Party between 2000 and 2015, was Nigeria’s democracy imperilled?” he asked.
Addressing accusations that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is being used as a political weapon, Onanuga strongly denied any presidential interference in the agency’s operations. He emphasized that the EFCC operates independently within its statutory mandate to investigate financial crimes regardless of political affiliations.
“President Tinubu does not issue directives to any anti-corruption agency on whom to investigate, arrest, or prosecute. President Tinubu has significant state issues to address rather than engage in political targeting. The prosecution is conducted by the court, not by any sleight of hand, and those found not guilty will receive a clean bill of health,” the statement declared.
The Presidency maintained that recent EFCC investigations have legitimately exposed officials with questions to answer regarding their stewardship and management of public funds, suggesting that opposition complaints are attempts to evade accountability.
“While the Presidency does not speak for the EFCC and believes the agency can speak for itself, we must reiterate that the EFCC is an independent institution established by law and empowered to carry out its statutory responsibilities without interference or favour,” Onanuga stated.
He challenged politicians facing corruption allegations to defend themselves if they have nothing to hide, describing claims of political persecution as distractions from officials who lack substantive campaign issues to counter the administration’s achievements.
“We find it curious that the same people who claimed they want to rescue Nigeria are now the ones waging a war of attrition against accountability and probity. Those who have cases to answer before EFCC should be bold and brave enough to defend themselves if they are clean,” the statement noted.
The Presidency pointed out that some of the opposition figures criticizing the EFCC were previously investigated and prosecuted by the agency before Tinubu took office in 2023. It also alleged that some have been implicated in international financial investigations for money laundering, with accomplices serving jail terms abroad.
“Are they now signing statements because their chickens are coming home to roost? We advise those politicians not to undermine the integrity of our nation’s institutions and the collective resolve to fight corruption by weaponising politics to escape accountability and encourage impunity,” Onanuga said.
The statement concluded by emphasizing that no one is above the law and that political affiliation should not serve as protection against legitimate anti-corruption investigations. It credited the EFCC’s work with contributing to Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.
“The fight against corruption is a collective responsibility and should not be trivialised by baseless allegations, jaundiced or politicised narratives,” the Presidency declared.
