2027: How Nigerian presidency allegedly moves to cripple opposition leaders with EFCC’s probe of NNPP campaign funds {INVESTIGATION}

By OUR REPORTERS, Abuja and Kano

Inundated by the strong directives from the villa, EFCC may attempt to ignore the court order by inviting the opposition leader over the alleged fraud. Insider, however, revealed that recent outburst of Kwankwaso against President Tinubu’s attempt to dominate the North was part of reasons why EFCC was instructed.

In what appears to be resemblance of long rumoured plots by the Nigerian ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the 2027 presidential election despite obvious records of allegedly bad governance, the nation’s presidency is said to use anti-corruption agencies to weaken opposition leaders in states, especially of Northern Nigeria, it was unable to takeover through the ballots or courts in last year’s elections.

This, we gathered, include the update that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been directed by powerful forces in the presidency to perfect plans to probe the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in a swift move to cripple the party and silence 2023 presidential candidate Senator Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Credible sources divulged that the presidency’s renewed plan, to get at the NNPP is aimed at direct target of the opposition party’s national leader through the EFCC, is part of next strategy to silence the only dissenting voice from the North ahead of 2027 election.

Piqued by the plan, the EFCC has been directed to immediately open a case file against the national leader and invite or lay siege on him to answer questions on the allegation of mismanagement of 2023 campaign fund instituted by some disgruntled elements in NNPP, who were since expelled from the party.

Recall that in June 2024, Justice Yusuf Ubale Mohammed of Kano State High Court granted a perpetual order, restraining the Federal Government’s anti-graft agency from inviting, arresting and, or, harassing Kwankwaso over the allegation of the campaign funds.

Inundated by the strong directives from the villa, EFCC may attempt to ignore the court order by inviting the opposition leader over the alleged fraud. Insider, however, revealed that recent outburst of Kwankwaso against President Tinubu’s attempt to dominate the North was part of reasons why EFCC was instructed.

Speaking at the convocation ceremony of Skyline University, Kano, on Sunday 27th November, 2024, Kwankwaso said there were all moves by Lagos to colonize the North. Ostensibly referring to the presidency, Kwankwaso also raised alarm noting that “Lagos would not allow Kano to appoint its own Emir”.

That apart, pundits believed that the presidency was equally jittery with the political weight and influence the NNPP leader attracted during the recent wedding ceremony of his daughter held in the ancient city of Kano.

Attended by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, 24 former Governors and other prominent political figures largely in opposition parties, all reunited in Kano, that august event obviously triggered potential threat to the Tinubu-led Federal Government.

Significant percentage of these opposition leaders, many of them stayed more than 48 hours in Kano during the high profile wedding ceremony, essentially engaged in long hours meetings and social interactions with the strong Northern voice.

A source at the miller mansion disclosed that political alliance and realignment among opposition parties took the central banner of discussions all through the engagement.

Discountenance with the meeting of the opposition leaders in Kano, the presidency was compelled to rather clampdown on Kwankwaso’s political influence and reduce the strength of the opposition in the North, as he poses a great danger to the ruling party ahead of 2027 general elections.

The insider said “the NNPP leader is next, having succeeded and finally reduced Atiku Abubakar to a serial presidential candidate of the PDP with little or no political relevant. The intention is deploy EFCC to hunt and harass him simply to silence his political career.”