The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a strong warning to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing the anti-corruption agency of becoming a tool for political persecution.
The party alleges that the EFCC is increasingly targeting opposition figures while shielding allies of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move they say signals a shift toward authoritarianism.
In a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC condemned what it described as a pattern of “selective investigations” and “politically motivated probes” aimed at silencing critics of the government. According to the party, these actions damage the credibility of the EFCC and undermine Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.
“The EFCC was created to be an impartial institution that defends public trust and holds everyone accountable regardless of political affiliation. Today, it operates like a department of the APC, resurrecting old cases and targeting opposition leaders while ignoring allegations against members of the ruling party,” the statement read.
The ADC noted that several members of the opposition coalition have recently received EFCC summons based on old, previously closed cases revived, they claim, purely in reaction to their current political positions.
The party highlighted what it sees as a disturbing double standard: high-profile figures who have joined the APC suddenly find themselves free of scrutiny, while opposition leaders are dragged into the spotlight over stale allegations.
“Selective prosecution is the death of justice,” Abdullahi stated. “In today’s Nigeria, guilt or innocence seems to be determined not by evidence, but by political alignment.”
The ADC called on Nigerians, civil society groups, and the independent press to speak out against what it describes as the politicization of public institutions. It emphasized that the EFCC is funded by taxpayers, not the ruling party, and must serve all Nigerians, not partisan interests.
“The EFCC belongs to the people, not the APC. It must return to its founding mission fighting corruption, not the opposition.”
