The Presidency has dismissed recent allegations by opposition politicians accusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of undermining multi-party democracy and weaponising anti-graft agencies, describing the claims as desperate theatrics by a “failed opposition” in search of scapegoats.
In a statement issued on Sunday, December 14, 2025 the State House said opposition figures, drawn from what it described as a “dying political party” and failed office seekers regrouping on an unstable platform, were merely blowing hot air to mask their political irrelevance.
The Presidency faulted claims that Nigeria’s democracy is under threat because prominent politicians are defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the constitution guarantees freedom of association and the right of citizens to change political allegiance at will.
According to the statement, none of the politicians who joined the APC was coerced, noting that the defections were motivated by what it called the “noticeable gains” of President Tinubu’s reform agenda.
It queried why similar concerns were not raised when politicians moved “in droves” to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2000 and 2015, asking whether democracy was imperilled at the time.
On accusations that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being used as a political tool, the Presidency maintained that the anti-graft agency is independent and operates strictly within its legal mandate.
“President Tinubu does not issue directives to any anti-corruption agency on whom to investigate, arrest, or prosecute,” the statement said, stressing that the EFCC investigates financial crimes irrespective of political affiliation or social status.
The Presidency accused critics of waging a “war of attrition against accountability and probity,” urging those with cases before the EFCC to defend themselves in court if they are confident of their innocence.
It added that prosecution is conducted by the courts, not the executive, and that anyone found not guilty would receive a clean bill of health.
Describing allegations of “weaponisation” as a distraction, the Presidency said the opposition was running out of ideas to challenge what it called the APC’s successes in less than three years of Tinubu’s administration.
The statement further noted that some of the opposition figures behind the allegations had been investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC even before Tinubu assumed office in 2023, while others had been implicated in international money laundering probes, with accomplices jailed abroad.
“Are they now signing statements because their chickens are coming home to roost?” the Presidency asked?
It warned politicians against undermining national institutions or politicising the fight against corruption to escape accountability, emphasising that no one is above the law.
The Presidency also cited Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as evidence of the EFCC’s effective and non-partisan work.
“The fight against corruption is a collective responsibility and should not be trivialised by baseless, jaundiced or politicised narratives,” the statement concluded.
The statement was signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
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