Abuja — A coalition of prominent opposition figures has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of using anti-corruption and security agencies to intimidate rivals and erode Nigeria’s multi-party democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the leaders alleged that institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are being “politicised and weaponised” to coerce opposition politicians into defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The statement was signed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Chairman, Senator David Mark; Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former Edo State Governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; former PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Olabode George; and former Minister of State for Defence, Mallam Lawal Batagarawa.
“State power is being deployed not for the genuine fight against corruption, but for the systematic persecution of perceived political opponents ahead of the 2027 general election,” they said, warning that Nigeria was “drifting towards a de facto one-party state.”
The opposition leaders accused the EFCC of selective enforcement, alleging that opposition politicians are subjected to aggressive investigations and “media trials” while cases involving APC figures are ignored or quietly dropped.
They pointed to long-running public perceptions of double standards, recalling controversial remarks by a former APC national chairman suggesting that defectors’ “sins are forgiven” once they join the ruling party. Such narratives, they argued, have “deeply undermined public trust in anti-corruption institutions.”
To restore confidence, the group called for:
- An independent forensic review of federal, state and local government accounts between 2015 and 2025, to expose what they described as “selective prosecution and impunity.”
- Embedding anti-corruption operatives directly into public payment and procurement systems to prevent fraud at source.
- Amendments to the EFCC Act to strengthen the agency’s operational independence, enhance its preventive role and shield it from executive interference.
They urged Nigerians to “remain vigilant and defend the democratic space,” warning that sustained political intimidation and perceived injustice could fuel instability.
“A democracy where opposition voices are silenced through fear, threats and abuse of institutions cannot endure,” the statement said.
The Presidency has previously denied similar allegations, insisting that defections to the APC are voluntary and that President Tinubu does not direct anti-graft agencies on whom to investigate or prosecute. It maintains that the EFCC and other agencies act within their legal mandates and that no one is above the law.
