The presidency has rejected opposition claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is sabotaging Nigeria’s multi-party democracy or using anti-corruption agencies for political ends, describing the allegations as baseless and politically motivated. In a statement on Sunday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, accused the opposition of resorting to “subterfuge and an empty search for scapegoats” amid its declining political influence.
The statement clarified that recent defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were entirely voluntary and reflect Nigerians’ constitutional right to freely choose their political affiliations. “The individuals joining the APC are doing so voluntarily, encouraged by the visible outcomes of President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda,” it said, noting that similar mass defections to the then-dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2000 and 2015 did not provoke accusations of undermining democracy.
Addressing claims that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being used to intimidate opposition figures, the Presidency insisted that the agency operates independently and strictly in line with the law.
While noting that it does not speak for the EFCC, the Presidency reaffirmed that the commission is empowered by law to investigate and prosecute financial crimes without regard to political affiliation, status or influence.
“It is ironic that those who profess a desire to rescue Nigeria are now opposing accountability and probity,” the statement said, advising politicians under investigation to pursue redress through lawful means.
The presidency further emphasised that President Tinubu does not direct any anti-corruption agency on whom to arrest, investigate or prosecute, stressing that the judiciary ultimately determines the outcome of such cases.
It described allegations of “weaponisation” as calculated distractions, arguing that the opposition is struggling to raise substantive issues against an administration it said has recorded measurable achievements in less than three years.
The statement also noted that some individuals backing the opposition’s claims had been investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC before President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, while others have been linked to international financial crime probes.
Warning against the politicization of state institutions, the presidency said efforts to erode public trust in anti-corruption agencies undermine national transparency goals.
“No one is above the law, and political affiliation cannot shield anyone from accountability,” the statement emphasized, highlighting Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as a testament to the country’s progress in combating corruption.
