Defections: Tinubu will never use EFCC to harass opposition — Presidency

The Presidency says President Bola Tinubu will never deploy the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to harass opposition figures.

Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Onanuga insisted that recent defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) were voluntary.

He described claims by some opposition politicians that democracy was under threat as baseless and self-serving.

He said politicians joining the APC did so freely, driven by confidence in President Tinubu’s reform agenda.

“Our Constitution guarantees freedom of association and the right to change political affiliation at any time,” he said.

Onanuga noted that no individual was coerced into joining the governing party.

He dismissed allegations that the EFCC was being weaponised, stressing that the anti-graft agency is independent and operates within its statutory mandate.

“President Tinubu does not issue directives to any anti-corruption agency on whom to investigate, arrest, or prosecute,” he said.

He added that those with cases before the EFCC should defend themselves through due process rather than politicise accountability.

Onanuga said allegations against the government were distractions by politicians running out of issues to challenge the administration.

“No one is above the law. Political affiliation should not shield anyone from investigation,” he said.

He also recalled that some critics had faced EFCC investigations even before Tinubu assumed office in 2023.

Onanuga urged political actors to respect national institutions and support the collective fight against corruption.

“The fight against corruption is a shared responsibility and must not be trivialised by politicised narratives,” he said.