Their reactions follow the detention of former Sokoto State governor and current senator, Aminu Tambuwal, by the EFCC over alleged fraudulent withdrawals amounting to N189 billion.
In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page yesterday, Atiku alleged that Tambuwal’s arrest was politically motivated, describing it as part of a broader agenda to intimidate and weaken the opposition.
“The only reason the EFCC has detained the former governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, is because he is a member of the opposition coalition,” Atiku said. “It is a continuation of the Tinubu-led administration’s agenda to harass, intimidate and decimate the opposition. The fight against corruption has been turned into a political weapon to coerce opposition leaders into the ruling party.”
The former vice president urged civil society and Nigeria’s international partners to condemn what he called the “politicisation” of the anti-corruption fight, stressing that the EFCC was established during his tenure in government to serve justice, not partisan interests.
ADC Warns EFCC Against Politicisation
In a separate statement, the ADC also criticised Tambuwal’s detention, accusing the EFCC of engaging in “calculated media trials” aimed at discrediting opposition figures. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, pointed to the timing of EFCC investigations into the short-lived tenure of former Imo governor Emeka Ihedioha and past activities of its chairman, David Mark, as suspicious.
“A fight against corruption that begins and ends with the opposition is not justice, it is persecution,” the ADC stated. “Why now? Why these men? Why these timelines? Many APC leaders with fresh, well-documented corruption allegations have not faced similar scrutiny.”
EFCC Denies Political Bias
Responding to the allegations, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale rejected claims of political interference, insisting that the commission investigates all corruption cases based on evidence, not political affiliation.
“Fraud is fraud, corruption is corruption. There is no sacred cow or protected interest in our work,” Oyewale said. “Every corruption allegation deserves to be investigated, regardless of timing or political context.”
The EFCC added that it is currently probing several high-ranking members of the ruling APC, including serving governors and ministers, dismissing the ADC’s claims as “self-serving and diversionary.”
This confrontation deepens the ongoing political tensions as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, with the opposition warning of increased clampdowns and the government maintaining its anti-corruption stance.
