ADC accuses EFCC of witch-hunt, shielding APC allies from corruption probes

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of turning its anti-graft mandate into a political weapon for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, condemned what it described as “calculated media trials” targeting opposition leaders, while APC figures with well-documented corruption allegations remain untouched.

The ADC cited the recent detention of former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, the “urgent” investigation into the seven-month tenure of former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha, and a probe into the Senate presidency of its own chairman, David Mark, as examples of politically motivated actions aimed at discrediting opponents ahead of the 2027 elections.

“A fight against corruption that begins and ends with the opposition is not justice, it is persecution,” Abdullahi said. “These are carefully staged scandals designed to destroy reputations and sway public perception, without ever leading to real justice.”

The party questioned the timing of the investigations, noting that Tambuwal, Ihedioha, and Mark all left office years ago, while APC leaders accused of more recent wrongdoing continue to enjoy immunity from scrutiny.

“Why now? Why these men? Why these timelines? If corruption truly has no statute of limitation, why are the EFCC’s files on APC’s own ‘big men,’ many with fresher, documented cases, gathering dust in forgotten drawers?” Abdullahi asked.

He pointed out that Ihedioha was governor for only seven months before being removed by the Supreme Court in January 2020—over five years ago—while Mark’s tenure as Senate President ended more than a decade ago.

The ADC accused the ruling party of shielding defectors from investigation. “Once a former governor crosses over to the APC, their files vanish like morning dew. Since Ifeanyi Okowa joined the APC, have Nigerians heard a single whisper from the EFCC about his cases? Yet opposition leaders are hounded with allegations from decades past without a shred of new evidence,” Abdullahi said.

Calling the EFCC’s actions “anti-democracy,” the ADC urged Nigerians to demand that the agency operate independently and resist the use of state institutions for partisan ends.

“State institutions do not belong to the ruling party—they belong to Nigerians. Today, it is David Mark, Ihedioha, and Tambuwal. Tomorrow, it could be anyone who dares to hold this government accountable,” Abdullahi warned.