The Presidency has dismissed allegations by opposition figures that Nigeria’s multi-party democracy is under threat, describing such claims as misleading and politically motivated.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Presidency reacted to comments made by a group of opposition politicians who raised concerns over the increasing number of political figures defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The Presidency maintained that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of association, including the right of individuals to change political parties at will.
According to the statement, politicians who recently joined the APC did so voluntarily, motivated by what it described as the visible gains of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda. It questioned whether similar concerns were raised during periods when politicians defected en masse to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2000 and 2015.
The Presidency also addressed allegations that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being weaponised against political opponents. It stressed that the EFCC is an independent statutory body, empowered to investigate and prosecute financial crimes without interference, regardless of political affiliation or social status.
It further stated that President Tinubu does not issue directives to any anti-corruption agency on whom to investigate or prosecute, noting that prosecution is determined by the courts. The statement added that individuals with no wrongdoing have nothing to fear and will be cleared through due process.
The Presidency described accusations of “weaponisation” as distractions by politicians facing accountability, pointing out that some of the signatories to the opposition statement had been investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC even before the current administration took office. It also noted that some individuals had previously been implicated in international financial crime investigations.
Emphasising that no one is above the law, the Presidency said political affiliation should not shield anyone from investigation. It highlighted Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as evidence of strengthened anti-corruption efforts.
The statement concluded by urging political actors not to undermine national institutions or politicise the fight against corruption, describing accountability as a collective responsibility that should not be trivialised by what it termed baseless or politicised narratives.
