• Lawmaker dismisses coalition leaders’ credibility, praises Tinubu’s performance
• Aiyedatiwa rules out coalition in Ondo, says APC will retain power in 2027
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of engaging in selective investigations and operating as a political tool for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The denunciation came as the Commission yesterday detained former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, over alleged illegal withdrawal of more than N189 billion during his tenure.
Last month, Tambuwal was reportedly quoted as saying, “We’re still members of PDP, and we’re going nowhere, but we will work for ADC.”
Tambuwal, who also served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015, governed Sokoto from 2015 to 2023.
Sources told The Guardian that the former governor arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja around 11:30 a.m. to face interrogators over the alleged violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He was said to have been held after the session and will spend the night in detention to provide further explanations on the matter.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed Tambuwal’s detention but declined further comment.
In a statement yesterday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC alleged that the EFCC’s recent actions were eroding public trust in the institution and undermining the real fight against corruption.
According to the ADC, the commission’s pattern of reopening closed cases and targeting opposition figures was “a clear indication” that it was being used to intimidate and silence government critics.
The party cited instances where investigations into allies of the ruling party appeared to “fade away”, while opposition figures were subjected to public scrutiny over decade-old allegations.
The statement warned that such “selective prosecution is the death of justice” and claimed that, in Nigeria today, “one’s guilt or innocence depends on one’s party membership, not evidence.”
The ADC further urged Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the independent media to resist what it described as “a dangerous slide into dictatorship” and to ensure the EFCC remained an impartial anti-graft agency funded by taxpayers, not the ruling party.
“In recent days, several senior members of the opposition coalition have received EFCC summons that are clearly politically motivated. These are not fresh cases arising from new evidence but new files opened in reaction to emergent political affiliations to intimidate key opposition figures,” the statement said.
It added: “The EFCC was created to be a fearless defender of the Nigerian people’s trust, applying the law evenly to all, friend or foe, ruling party or opposition. Today, that vision appears to have been compromised. The Commission now operates like a department of the APC, deployed to fight government critics and opposition figures, thereby achieving what the government cannot achieve through public debate.
“Meanwhile, we have observed how investigations into ruling party allies quietly fade away while opposition figures are dragged before the court of public opinion with sometimes decade-old allegations that have been hastily revived and dressed up as fresh evidence. This is selective prosecution, and selective prosecution is the death of justice.
“It does appear that in today’s Nigeria, one’s guilt or innocence depends on one’s party membership, not evidence. For example, since a certain former governor defected to the APC with his state’s entire political machinery, the EFCC’s investigations into his administration have vanished from public view. Not a question has been asked. Not a document leaked. Not a single update. Yet the same EFCC still somehow find means to reopen old cases against opposition leaders and pursue the stale allegations against them.
“It does not augur well for the EFCC if people think that all you need to point the accusing hands of the Commission in your direction is to stand opposed to the ruling party, and all that it takes for protection is to align with the government. Unfortunately, this is the widely established perception in Nigeria today, which the commission, by its recent actions, including the ongoing surreptitious harassment of opposition leaders, has given credence to.
“The ADC hereby calls on all Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the independent media to resist this dangerous slide into dictatorship and misuse of public institutions to achieve partisan objectives. The EFCC does not belong to the APC. It belongs to the Nigerian people. It is funded by taxpayers, not the ruling party.”
Lawmaker dismisses coalition leaders’ credibility, praises Tinubu’s performance
MEANWHILE, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Leke Abejide, has warned Nigerians to be wary of coalition leaders such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, former governors Rauf Aregbesola, Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi.
Abejide, who represents Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency of Kogi State in the House of Representatives, said the coalition figures were not “angels” and had previously governed without significantly improving the country.
Speaking on the Mic On podcast, he argued that the leaders could not perform better than President Bola Tinubu.
He said: “Did Nigerians enjoy during their own time? All of them (Atiku, Aregbesola, Amaechi, David Mark, El-Rufai) have governed before. None of them has been out of government. So, Nigerians enjoyed during their period? Are they coming from heaven? Are they angels? What can they do better than Asiwaju now?
“When I came in as a Rep member, I said I was going to do things differently from my predecessors. If I’m not doing it well, I wouldn’t have been winning from an unknown party. So, Asiwaju is doing something different to reposition the economy. He is doing very well.
“When you go to my constituency and see the ongoing projects, it has never happened. These reforms definitely come with pains and, if you notice now, the pain is not as much as when it started.”
Aiyedatiwa rules out coalition in Ondo, says APC will retain power in 2027
ALSO, Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has declared that there will be no room for a coalition in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the All Progressives Congress has all it takes to retain power.
The governor said Nigeria, under President Bola Tinubu, as well as Ondo State under his leadership, is enjoying good governance, hence his confidence that the ruling party will triumph at the polls.
Aiyedatiwa stated this yesterday while receiving defectors under the platform of the Sunshine Grassroots Network from various political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and African Democratic Congress, at the Akure City Hall.
Describing the defectors’ move to join the APC as a wise decision, the governor said the development will boost the party’s expected number of votes in the coming elections.
He said, “In Ondo State, there is no room for coalition; it is one APC. People join political parties for different reasons, but the interest of the party must always supersede every other interest, and for us in the APC, that interest is to retain power.
“The whole of Ondo State is for President Tinubu come 2027, and the decision of these defectors to join us today is a strong step towards that goal. Joining our party is an assurance that we will do greater numbers and further strengthen the APC ahead of the presidential election.”
Among the defectors is Dayo Awude, a former commissioner, former state vice chairman of the PDP and the deputy governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the last governorship election in Ondo State.
Awude, who aligned himself with the progressive ideals and developmental agenda of the current administration, said, “I have joined the APC to add value, and I assure Mr Governor that he will see it. I urge all our party faithful to return to their units and wards to fully integrate themselves. I am here for progress to support President Bola Tinubu and to support the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.”
Another defector, Dele Ogunbameru, former secretary of the SDP, said he had faced numerous challenges in his former party but now feels at home in the APC. He added that he joined the ruling party to contribute his wealth of experience and help move it forward.
Ondo State APC chairman, Ade Adetimehin, said, “Any politician who cannot deliver his unit and ward is not a politician. I urge all our new members to work towards strengthening the party at the grassroots.
“Therefore, on behalf of the national chairman of our party, I want to formally welcome you into APC, and I thereby hand you over to the leader of our party in Ondo State, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.”
