The Presidency has denied claims that President Bola Tinubu is using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate or harass opposition figures, insisting that the anti-graft agency operates independently and within the law. Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, where he dismissed allegations that recent defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) were coerced.
According to Onanuga, politicians who have joined the ruling party did so willingly, motivated by confidence in President Tinubu's reform agenda. He described assertions by some opposition figures that democracy was under threat as baseless and driven by self-interest.
"Our Constitution guarantees freedom of association and the right to change political affiliation at any time," he said, stressing that no individual was pressured into joining the APC.
Onanuga also rejected accusations that the EFCC was being weaponised against political opponents, emphasising that the agency remains independent and acts strictly within its statutory mandate.
"President Tinubu does not issue directives to any anti-corruption agency on whom to investigate, arrest, or prosecute," he said.
He advised individuals facing investigations to pursue redress through due process rather than politicising accountability, adding that such allegations were distractions from politicians "running out of issues' to challenge the administration.
"No one is above the law. Political affiliation should not shield anyone from investigation,"Onanuga said, noting that some of the administration’s critics were already under EFCC investigation before Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
He urged political actors to respect national institutions and support the broader anti-corruption effort, warning against trivialising it for political gain.
“The fight against corruption is a shared responsibility and must not be trivialised by politicised narratives,” he said.
