The Presidency warns opposition figures against politicising accountability, insisting Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies remain independent and vital to democracy.
The Presidency has issued a firm response to opposition politicians, warning against actions that could weaken democratic norms and erode public confidence in state institutions.
According to the government, attempts to discredit accountability frameworks through politicised narratives amount to deliberate efforts to evade scrutiny rather than genuine concern for democracy.
At the heart of the Presidency’s argument is the need to protect Anti-corruption institutions from being dragged into partisan battles.
In a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the administration accused some opposition figures of engaging in scapegoating and subterfuge.
The statement argued that these tactics are designed to distract Nigerians from ongoing reforms and shift attention away from legitimate investigations into alleged wrongdoing.
The Presidency stressed that it remains committed to enforcing the rule of law, regardless of political pressure or public noise.
The immediate trigger for the response was a statement credited to a group of opposition politicians who claimed that Nigeria’s multi-party democracy was under threat.
They cited the recent wave of defections by prominent political actors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as evidence of shrinking political space.
The Presidency dismissed this view as misleading, insisting that it misrepresents constitutional realities and historical precedent.
According to the government, the Nigerian Constitution clearly guarantees freedom of association, including the right of every citizen to join or leave any political party at will.
It maintained that political realignments are a normal feature of democratic systems and should not be portrayed as evidence of authoritarianism.
The Presidency further emphasised that those who defected to the APC did so voluntarily, without coercion or intimidation, and were persuaded by what it described as the tangible outcomes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda.
Questioning the sincerity of the opposition’s alarm, the Presidency recalled that between 2000 and 2015, politicians moved en masse to the then-dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
At that time, it noted, such movements were widely accepted as part of political evolution, not as a threat to democracy.
The administration therefore argued that today’s outrage reflects selective memory and political convenience rather than principled concern.
Beyond defections, the statement also addressed allegations that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was being weaponised against opposition figures.
The Presidency rejected this claim outright, reiterating that the EFCC is an independent body established by law.
It stressed that safeguarding Anti-corruption institutions from political interference is essential to maintaining public trust and international credibility.
While clarifying that the Presidency does not speak on behalf of the EFCC, the statement reaffirmed that the agency operates within its statutory mandate.
Investigations and prosecutions, it said, are carried out without regard to political affiliation, social status, or influence.
The Presidency also made it clear that President Tinubu does not direct any anti-graft agency on whom to arrest or prosecute, underscoring the autonomy of Anti-corruption institutions in Nigeria’s democratic system.
The administration described claims of “weaponisation” as diversionary tactics being deployed by politicians who lack compelling policy alternatives.
According to the statement, such narratives are meant to weaken public confidence in Anti-corruption institutions and recast personal legal challenges as political persecution.
The Presidency insisted that accountability should never be reduced to a partisan issue.
Reiterating the principle that no one is above the law, the government warned against using political affiliation as a shield against investigation.
It noted that recent enforcement efforts by the EFCC contributed significantly to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, a development that signals improved global confidence in the country’s financial oversight and commitment to fighting illicit flows.
This achievement, the Presidency argued, highlights the importance of allowing Anti-corruption institutions to function without undue pressure.
The statement also revealed that some of the individuals criticising the EFCC had been investigated or prosecuted long before President Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
Others, it added, were linked to international money-laundering investigations, with associates already convicted and imprisoned abroad.
These facts, the Presidency said, undermine claims that current actions are politically motivated.
Ireport247news
