2027: Opposition politicians plotting to bring us down, EFCC raises alarm
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, raised the alarm that the opposition politicians in Nigeria have perfected plans to bring it down by all means ahead of 2027 election.
It also said it has uncovered plots by the same set of people to intensify campaign of calumny against the Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede.
This, it said, was in a bid to scuttle ongoing investigations and prosecutions of some high-profiled corrupt individuals being handled by the commission.
In a statement, on Wednesday, spokesman of the agency, Dele Oyewale, said the anti-graft agency is aware that politicians want to distract the commission with phantom allegations of political bias in the execution of its mandate.
“Their objective is to befuddle the works of the Commission, and through scaremongering, intimidate the commission into a timid mode, where it will be afraid to investigate opposition politicians for fear of being labelled as partisan.”
“This campaign is likely to intensify as the political space becomes charged, in the months leading to the 2027 general election,” he said.
Oyewale maintained that the agency would not fold its arm watching “those recruited into this ignoble enterprise” or tolerate any attempt to distract it from “the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria”.
He added, “The Commission wishes to put those recruited into this ignoble enterprise on notice that their activities are under close watch, and EFCC will not tolerate any attempt to distract it from the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria.
“The EFCC reiterates its non-political stance in all its activities. Facts on the ground clearly show that any political actor belonging to the ruling party or opposition party, with corruption baggage, has no hiding place from the operational radar and dynamics of the Commission.
“As a matter of fact, several strong members of the ruling and opposition parties are either facing trial before the courts or being investigated by the Commission.
“It is needful that Nigerians appreciate the fact that the Commission is keeping faith with its Establishment Act in all its operations.
“Commentaries about presumption of innocence of a defendant in court are in line with the provisions of the Constitution and not intended as defence of any individual or group.
“Additionally, the Commission has no alliance or working relationship with any political party. All these facts are unassailable.
“The EFCC will not be pressured or blackmailed into making public disclosures of politically exposed persons being investigated for one alleged corruption case or the other.
“Therefore, the Commission reiterates its commitment to justice, without fear or favour, in the fulfilment of its mandate.”
