…Says no sacred cows, corruption has no party lines
… PDP kicks, calls arrests politically motivated
…ADC accuses FG of silencing dissenting voices
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed accusations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it is targeting opposition politicians, insisting that its investigations cut across political lines.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, maintained that the agency operates without partisan bias, probing both ruling party figures and opposition leaders accused of corruption.
“If I am not condemned for investigating former and serving ruling party governors and ministers, I should not be condemned for investigating opposition figures,” Olukoyede stated.
The ADC had accused the EFCC of issuing politically motivated summons without fresh evidence, aimed at intimidating opposition leaders. In a strongly worded statement, its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, cited the detention of former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, and the fresh probe of ex-Imo governor, Emeka Ihedioha, as evidence of political persecution.
The party also faulted the EFCC’s reported move to revisit the tenure of its Acting National Chairman, Senator David Mark, nearly a decade after he left office as Senate president.
“A fight against corruption that begins and ends with the opposition is not justice — it is persecution,” the ADC declared. “These are not fresh investigations; they are cynical political manoeuvres to weaken credible opposition voices ahead of the 2027 elections.”
The party alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) shields its members from EFCC scrutiny, claiming that files on defectors to the APC “vanish like morning dew.”
Similarly, the Sokoto State chapter of the PDP condemned Tambuwal’s arrest, describing it as a “politically motivated fishing expedition” aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, the party accused the APC-led Federal Government of using the EFCC to silence dissenting voices.
“Tambuwal’s administration was marked by fiscal discipline and transparency. Our trust in his integrity cannot be shaken by politically motivated probes,” the PDP said, urging anti-graft agencies to “live above board” and calling on supporters to remain calm but resolute in defending democracy.
EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, countered that court records show politicians from various parties are facing trial, with several serving governors under active investigation.
“Fraud is fraud. Corruption is corruption. There are no sacred cows in our work,” he stressed, adding that the agency will not bow to political pressure or reveal details of ongoing investigations.
The Commission urged political parties to focus on internal reforms rather than issuing “politically charged statements aimed at distracting from the looting of public funds.”
