Presidency: Defections Are Voluntary, EFCC Investigations Are Not Politically Driven

Table of Contents

1. Presidency Response to Opposition Claims
2. Defections to the APC
3. Independence of the EFCC
4. Accountability and Probity
5. Politicising State Institutions

The Presidency has criticized allegations made by opposition politicians claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is undermining Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and misusing anti-corruption agencies for political purposes, labeling these accusations as baseless and motivated by partisan interests.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, remarked that the opposition is resorting to “subterfuge and an empty search for scapegoats” in light of its declining political influence.

The statement clarified that recent defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were not coerced or orchestrated but rather a result of constitutional freedoms that permit citizens to choose any political party they wish to join.

“Individuals joining the APC are doing so voluntarily, inspired by the noticeable benefits of President Bola Tinubu’s reform initiatives,” the statement indicated. It also noted that mass defections to the previously dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2000 and 2015 did not trigger similar accusations of democratic erosion.

In response to claims that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being utilized to intimidate opposition figures, the Presidency asserted that the agency operates independently and strictly adheres to the law.

While acknowledging that the Presidency does not represent the EFCC, the statement reiterated that the commission is legally authorized to investigate and prosecute financial crimes without regard to political affiliation, influence, or social status.

“It is perplexing that those who profess to want to rescue Nigeria are now engaging in a campaign against accountability and integrity,” the statement remarked, encouraging politicians under investigation to pursue redress through proper legal channels.

The Presidency further emphasized that President Tinubu does not direct any anti-corruption agency regarding whom to arrest, investigate, or prosecute, highlighting that judicial authorities ultimately decide the outcomes of such cases.

It characterized the allegations of “weaponization” as intentional distractions, contending that the opposition is struggling to present credible issues against an administration that has achieved measurable progress in less than three years.

The statement also highlighted that some of the individuals endorsing the opposition’s viewpoint had previously been investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC before President Tinubu took office in 2023, while others were linked to international financial crime investigations.

Warning against the politicization of state institutions, the Presidency stated that efforts to undermine public trust in anti-corruption agencies hinder national initiatives aimed at promoting transparency.

“No one is above the law, and political affiliation should not serve as a shield against accountability,” the statement concluded, citing Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as evidence of progress in the anti-corruption campaign.

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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