Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of turning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into a political weapon to silence opposition voices.
Atiku made the allegation in reaction to the detention of former Sokoto State Governor and serving senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, by the EFCC. He claimed the move was part of a deliberate strategy to “harass, intimidate, and decimate” members of the opposition coalition.
“The only reason the EFCC has detained Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is because he is a member of the opposition Coalition,” Atiku said in a statement on Monday. “It is a continuation of the Tinubu-led administration’s agenda to intimidate the opposition.”
The former Vice President, who played a key role in establishing the EFCC during his tenure, alleged that the agency’s anti-corruption mandate had been “objectified” into a political tool to coerce opponents into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Today, anyone who associates with the opposition is a target for phantom corruption allegations. As soon as they are coerced into the political agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, their ‘sins’ are forgiven,” he said, warning that the trend undermines institutional integrity and fuels corruption.
Atiku further alleged a “growing pattern” where anti-corruption bodies are being deployed to pressure opposition governors and political leaders into defecting to the ruling party. He called on civil society groups, Nigerians, and the international community to condemn what he described as “anti-democratic machinations” aimed at creating a one-party state.
“We will never succumb to these tactics. The use of anti-corruption agencies as a political agenda must be roundly condemned,” he added.
Tambuwal’s detention has sparked sharp political reactions, deepening tensions between the ruling APC and the opposition. The EFCC has yet to respond to Atiku’s allegations.
