Opposition leaders accuse FG of politicising EFCC, warn against slide to one-party state

A coalition of prominent opposition leaders has accused the Federal Government of weaponising anti-corruption agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to intimidate and persecute opposition figures, warning that the trend poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a joint statement titled “Anti-Corruption, Not Anti-Opposition,” the leaders said there is growing public perception that key state institutions—including the EFCC, the Nigeria Police and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)—are increasingly being deployed for selective justice and political persecution rather than genuine anti-corruption efforts.

The statement, signed by former Senate President David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Edo State Governor John Odigie-Oyegun, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, former PDP Deputy National Chairman Bode George, and Mallam Lawal Batagawara, alleged that state power is being used to weaken opposition voices and dismantle Nigeria’s democratic pluralism.

According to the opposition figures, recent defections of opposition governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have heightened suspicions that anti-graft agencies are being used to exert pressure on elected officials to force political realignment.

“More than ever before in our democratic experience, Nigerians are witnessing what many now describe as a covert, undemocratic agenda to ensure that all state governments fall under the control of the President’s party—not through transparent elections, but through intimidation using the anti-corruption apparatus,” the statement said.

The leaders alleged a pattern of selective prosecution by the EFCC, claiming that allegations against members of the ruling party are often ignored, while opposition figures are subjected to investigation, arrests and media trials, sometimes based on what they described as unsubstantiated claims.

They cited cases of former ministers implicated in controversies who, despite resigning under public pressure, are yet to be charged or arraigned, while remaining politically active within the ruling party.

The opposition warned that the perceived erosion of the EFCC’s independence risks undermining public trust in anti-corruption efforts and could fuel political instability as the country approaches another election cycle.

“The EFCC is a critical national institution created to safeguard Nigeria’s economic integrity. It must not become an instrument of political persecution,” the statement added.

The leaders made several demands, including the immediate depoliticisation of the EFCC, a return to its statutory mandate of impartial investigation and prosecution, and renewed vigilance to prevent Nigeria from drifting into what they described as a de facto one-party state.

They also called for the embedding of preventive anti-corruption mechanisms across all levels of government by integrating anti-graft operatives into public payment processes, in line with a recent Supreme Court ruling on the EFCC’s powers over public accounts.

In addition, the opposition urged the Attorney General of the Federation, in collaboration with the National Assembly, to establish an independent review body to audit public accounts at the federal, state and local government levels from 2015 to 2025. The proposed body, they said, should be chaired by an eminent judge and include representatives of civil society, professional bodies, security agencies and all political parties represented in the National Assembly.

They said the findings of such a review would expose alleged selective prosecution and help strengthen the EFCC through amendments to its enabling law.

The opposition leaders also disclosed plans to engage Nigeria’s international partners, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, the United Nations and the World Bank, to express concerns over what they described as the growing politicisation of Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies.

Calling on Nigerians across political, regional and religious lines to defend democracy, the leaders warned that silence in the face of perceived injustice could imperil the nation’s future.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us—not to a single party or a single leader,” the statement concluded.