Politics
Presidency, Opposition Clash Over Alleged Weaponising Of EFCC
Prominent opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and PDP elder statesman Bode George, on Sunday, accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of deliberately undermining opposition parties ahead of future elections.
In a joint statement released on Sunday, also signed by ADC National Chairman David Mark, former APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, and Lawal Batagawara, the opposition called for an independent audit of federal, state, and local government accounts from 2015 to 2025, alleging that state authority is being weaponized against political opponents rather than used to combat economic crimes.
The statement follows a wave of defections by governors, National Assembly members, and other influential figures to the ruling APC, including the recent defection of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the PDP.
The opposition claimed that major national institutions—including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria Police, and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission—are increasingly being used as instruments of political intimidation, selectively enforcing justice against opposition figures while shielding ruling party members.
“Across our nation, state power is being deployed not for the prevention of economic crimes, but for the persecution of perceived political adversaries, with the ultimate aim of weakening opposition voices and dismantling Nigeria’s multiparty democracy,” the statement said.
The leaders alleged a covert agenda to bring all state governments under APC control, using anti-corruption agencies to intimidate opposition governors into defection. They warned that this pattern, if unchecked, threatens Nigeria’s democratic stability. “Recent defections reinforce public suspicion that political pressure, rather than ideological or personal persuasion, is driving this realignment,” the statement added, highlighting a broader project targeting key opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
They also criticised the EFCC’s selective prosecution pattern, citing comments by former APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole that “once you have joined APC, all your sins are forgiven,” as symbolic of the administration’s approach.
The opposition proposed embedding anti-corruption operatives in government payment processes and creating an independent review body with full access to public accounts to expose selective prosecutions and strengthen the EFCC.
The ADC Kebbi State chapter criticised the EFCC for the detention of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), describing it as unconstitutional and politically motivated. Malami, through his spokesperson Mohammed Bello Doka, denied allegations linking him to terrorism financing or operating 46 bank accounts, describing them as “false, baseless, and part of a coordinated media trial.”
In response, the Presidency on Sunday rejected claims that President Tinubu is weaponising the EFCC, describing the opposition’s attacks as “scapegoating by a dying political party” and “failed aspirants regrouping on an unstable platform.”
In a statement signed by Special Adviser on Information & Strategy Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency accused critics of seeking “cheap political gains” by alleging a threat to multi-party democracy because politicians are freely joining the APC.
“They alleged a threat to multi-party democracy because many top politicians are joining the governing APC of their own free will,” Onanuga said. Citing constitutional guarantees of freedom of association, the Presidency insisted that defections were voluntary and motivated by “noticeable gains” from Tinubu’s reform programme, not coercion.
Onanuga reaffirmed the EFCC’s independence, stating that the commission investigates and prosecutes financial crimes irrespective of political affiliation or personality, and that prosecutions are determined by the courts, not the Presidency.
“The EFCC is an independent institution established by law and empowered to carry out its statutory responsibilities without interference or favour,” he said. “Those who have cases to answer should be bold enough to defend themselves if they are clean. No one is above the law. Everyone must be accountable for their actions, both in and out of office.”
The Presidency also argued that some opposition figures had previously been investigated or prosecuted before Tinubu took office in 2023, and some had faced foreign money-laundering probes. Onanuga suggested that their criticism reflects mounting pressure: “Are they now signing statements because their chickens are coming home to roost?”
Warning against undermining national institutions, the Presidency urged critics to stop “weaponising politics to escape accountability,” stressing that the fight against corruption is a collective responsibility and must not be trivialised by “baseless, jaundiced or politicised narratives.”
The dispute underscores growing tensions between the Presidency and opposition over perceived politicisation of anti-corruption agencies, with both sides framing the controversy as central to the future of Nigeria’s democracy. At the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not officially responded to the allegations.
The All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Yahaya Usman, have taken legal action to challenge the outcome of the chairmanship election held in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
Daily voice reports that the election took place on February 21, 2026, across 10 wards and 338 polling units.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Mohammed Kasim of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner after he secured 22,165 votes, while Usman polled 17,788 votes.
Not satisfied with the result, the APC and its candidate filed a petition before the election tribunal.
The case, marked FCT/ACEPT/EP/02/2026, seeks to overturn the declaration of the PDP candidate.
In the petition, the party and its candidate claimed that the election did not follow the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
They also alleged the presence of corrupt practices and argued that the declared winner did not obtain the highest number of valid votes.
They stated that several irregularities occurred during the election process.
According to them, results in at least six polling units across Kutunku, Ibwa, Tungan Maje, and Ikwa wards were altered. They claimed figures were changed to match the number of accredited voters and to hide cases of over-voting.
The petition also reported cases where entries on result sheets were tampered with.
It stated that cancellations and changes were made in some polling units, raising concerns about the credibility of the figures recorded.
In addition, the APC alleged that in two polling units, votes recorded for its candidate were reduced during the collation process.
The party further claimed that more than 100 polling units were affected by failure to follow electoral rules.
It also pointed to eight polling units where officials allegedly changed figures by erasing and rewriting results on official documents.
Another issue raised in the petition involved voter accreditation. The petitioners said that in 71 polling units across six wards, officials failed to properly mark voters’ details in the register as required, yet the votes from those units were still counted.
They also identified cases of over-voting in 31 polling units, where the number of votes recorded was higher than the number of accredited voters. Based on this, they argued that thousands of votes recorded for both parties in those areas should be cancelled.
After removing the disputed figures, the APC calculated that it would have 16,499 valid votes, while the PDP candidate would have 18,929 votes, leaving a difference of 2,430 votes.
The petition added that the gap between both candidates is smaller than the number of registered voters in the affected polling units. Based on this, the party argued that the result should not stand and called for the cancellation of the election outcome.
The APC and its candidate have asked the tribunal to void the result declared by the electoral body and determine who actually won the election inBREAKING: APC Drags PDP To Courts
The All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Yahaya Usman, have taken legal action to challenge the outcome of the chairmanship election held in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
Daily voice reports that the election took place on February 21, 2026, across 10 wards and 338 polling units.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Mohammed Kasim of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner after he secured 22,165 votes, while Usman polled 17,788 votes.
Not satisfied with the result, the APC and its candidate filed a petition before the election tribunal.
The case, marked FCT/ACEPT/EP/02/2026, seeks to overturn the declaration of the PDP candidate.
In the petition, the party and its candidate claimed that the election did not follow the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
They also alleged the presence of corrupt practices and argued that the declared winner did not obtain the highest number of valid votes.
They stated that several irregularities occurred during the election process.
According to them, results in at least six polling units across Kutunku, Ibwa, Tungan Maje, and Ikwa wards were altered. They claimed figures were changed to match the number of accredited voters and to hide cases of over-voting.
The petition also reported cases where entries on result sheets were tampered with.
It stated that cancellations and changes were made in some polling units, raising concerns about the credibility of the figures recorded.
In addition, the APC alleged that in two polling units, votes recorded for its candidate were reduced during the collation process.
The party further claimed that more than 100 polling units were affected by failure to follow electoral rules.
It also pointed to eight polling units where officials allegedly changed figures by erasing and rewriting results on official documents.
Another issue raised in the petition involved voter accreditation. The petitioners said that in 71 polling units across six wards, officials failed to properly mark voters’ details in the register as required, yet the votes from those units were still counted.
They also identified cases of over-voting in 31 polling units, where the number of votes recorded was higher than the number of accredited voters. Based on this, they argued that thousands of votes recorded for both parties in those areas should be cancelled.
After removing the disputed figures, the APC calculated that it would have 16,499 valid votes, while the PDP candidate would have 18,929 votes, leaving a difference of 2,430 votes.
The petition added that the gap between both candidates is smaller than the number of registered voters in the affected polling units. Based on this, the party argued that the result should not stand and called for the cancellation of the election outcome.
The APC and its candidate have asked the tribunal to void the result declared by the electoral body and determine who actually won the election in line with the law. line with the law.
Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele, a prominent Nigerian cleric, has warned that the country’s 2027 general elections could be declared inconclusive due to violence
If election-related furies are not properly dealt with, they could hinder the declaration of results and precipitate a constitutional crisis, explained Primate Ayodele Nigeria’s general elections will be held on January 16, 2027, to elect the president, vice president, senators, representatives, governors, and state assembly members.
As Nigerians look ahead to the 2027 elections, Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder and leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Oke Afa, Lagos, has prophesied that although the polls will proceed as scheduled, they will face significant challenges.
Dailyvoice.ng reports that in a prophecy shared on the church’s official Facebook page on Tuesday, March 17, the cleric described the 2027 polls as high-stakes, “a make-or-mar election” for Nigeria.
The religious leader warned that if the 2027 elections are not properly managed, they could lead to the collapse of three of the four major political parties: the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He said:
“If care is not taken, the 2027 election will be declared inconclusive. The aura surrounding the date of the election is not good for the poll. So, the election will be full of crises.”
Primate Ayodele added:
“If the 2027 election is not managed properly, it might lead to the end of APC, PDP, and ADC. There are external forces that want to disrupt the election; they consider the election a do-or-die. That is what they plan.”
Meanwhile, Primate Ayodele prophesied that the polls will be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian judiciary.
In a statement issued on Sunday, March 15, and signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, the cleric claimed that the voters will not have a serious impact in the election.
Ayodele stated that there will be a misinterpretation of the Electoral Act and Nigeria’s constitution regarding the conduct of the election. He warned of a post-election crisis, especially the presidential election.
Ayodele said:
“The judiciary and INEC will pay for the coming election dearly because the electoral commission will face embarrassment and humiliation. The INEC will be involved in electoral malpractices in 2027. “We will hear about hacking and internet disruption towards the election. INEC and Judiciary will conclude the election, don’t expect much from voters.”
Earlier, Dailyvoice.ng reported that Primate Ayodele issued a notable warning to Bashir Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and Nwakuche Ndidi, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Ayodele cautioned that both presidential appointees could be removed from office if they are not careful, claiming that the Customs chief and the NCoS head have been earmarked for dismissal by President Bola Tinubu before the end of the current administration.
A Nigerian businessman and social media personality, Isaac Fayose, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will struggle to secure meaningful votes in Nigeria’s South-East region during the 2027 presidential election.
Fayose made the statement while reacting to the recent political mobilisation by the City Boys Movement in Imo State. The group, which is widely associated with Seyi Tinubu, had visited the state earlier in the week as part of efforts to build grassroots support for President Tinubu ahead of the next general election.
The gathering reportedly took place in Owerri and featured the presence of several public figures, including socialite and businessman Pascal Okechukwu. However, the outing quickly drew criticism online after images and videos circulated on social media suggesting a modest turnout at the event.
Reacting to the development on his Facebook page, Fayose mocked the rally and questioned the level of support the president enjoys in the South-East.
He wrote, “The city boys movement outing in Owerri Imo state yesterday was a show of shame …
Security operatives wey Dey there pass the crowd.”
The businessman went further to challenge supporters of the president, insisting that Tinubu would struggle to secure a significant share of votes from the region if the election is conducted fairly.
“I am ready to bet any of them with 10 million naira. President Tinubu won’t get 20% of the total vote cast come 2027”.
The South-East region has historically recorded low electoral support for Tinubu’s political platform. During the 2023 presidential election, voting patterns across several states in the zone showed overwhelming backing for opposition candidates.
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