By Our Reporter
The Presidency has dismissed claims by opposition politicians that Nigeria’s democracy is under threat, describing the allegations as a desperate attempt to find scapegoats for political failure.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said opposition figures who recently raised concerns about defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were engaging in “subterfuge” and seeking cheap political relevance.
The statement noted that politicians joining the APC did so voluntarily, stressing that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of association and the right of citizens to change political affiliations at any time.
According to the Presidency, recent defections were driven by confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda and its perceived gains. It also questioned why similar concerns were not raised when politicians moved en masse to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2000 and 2015.
Responding to allegations that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being weaponised against political opponents, the Presidency maintained that the anti-graft agency is independent and operates within the powers granted to it by law.
While stating that it does not speak for the EFCC, the Presidency emphasised that the commission has the mandate to investigate and prosecute financial crimes regardless of political affiliation or status, adding that President Tinubu does not direct any anti-corruption agency on who to investigate or prosecute.
The statement described accusations against the EFCC as attempts to distract from accountability, noting that some of the politicians making the claims had been investigated or prosecuted by the agency even before President Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
It further pointed out that some of the critics had been implicated in international money laundering probes, with associates reportedly jailed abroad.
The Presidency reiterated that no one is above the law and that political affiliation cannot shield anyone from investigation. It also highlighted Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as evidence of progress in the fight against corruption.
The statement concluded by urging politicians not to undermine national institutions or politicise anti-corruption efforts, describing the fight against corruption as a collective responsibility that must not be trivialised.