Questions as EFCC raises alarm, says “Opposition politicians plotting to bring us down”
By KEMI KASUMU
Olukoyede’s case got worse when, after many court granted bails he refused to honour in favour of Malami until early this week’s new bail that was met, the EFCC suddenly and allegedly handed him to the Department of State Service (DSS) to re-arrest him thus finally putting Nigeria’s democracy on the slab of slaughter, under Tinubu, we gathered.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged that some opposition politicians are plotting to bring down the agency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday January 7, 2026, the anti-graft agency said it had uncovered plans by the politicians to launch sustained attacks aimed at discrediting the Commission and its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, in order to allegedly derail ongoing investigations and prosecutions involving high-profile corruption cases.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the agency was aware of attempts to distract it through what he described as “phantom allegations of political bias” in the execution of its mandate.
According to Oyewale, the alleged campaign is designed to intimidate the commission and weaken its resolve to investigate opposition figures, particularly as the political climate intensifies ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Their objective is to befuddle the work of the Commission and, through scaremongering, intimidate it into a timid mode where it will be afraid to investigate opposition politicians for fear of being labelled partisan,” he said.
Oyewale warned that the EFCC would not tolerate any effort to distract it from its responsibilities, stressing that those involved in what he termed an “ignoble enterprise” were under close watch.
He reiterated the commission’s non-partisan stance, noting that individuals from both the ruling and opposition parties were currently facing trial or under investigation for alleged corruption.
“The facts on the ground clearly show that any political actor, whether from the ruling party or the opposition, with corruption baggage, has no hiding place from the operational radar of the Commission,” Oyewale said.
He added that the EFCC operates strictly in line with its Establishment Act and the provisions of the Constitution, including respect for the presumption of innocence of defendants.
The spokesperson further emphasized that the commission has no alliance or working relationship with any political party and would not be pressured or blackmailed into disclosing details of investigations involving politically exposed persons.
“The EFCC reiterates its commitment to justice, without fear or favour, in the fulfilment of its mandate,” the statement concluded.
However, not many members of the public believe that the EFCC is what it describes itself to be: “independent of politicians’ influence and manipulation” and that is us above partisan politics. This is because, according to our findings, the behaviours of the leadership of the agency do no portray it as a neutral body as a vital institution of state.
Governor of Bauchi State Senator Bala Mohammed recently wondered how the EFCC set his immunity as a sitting governor aside and presented his name for prosecution in a law court, “in Nigeria”.
He, however, warned the Tinubu’s government that if it does not stop using the EFCC to persecute and find fhantom charges in order to hang people who refuse to join their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), “we are going to declare a war”.
The manner the EFCC handles the alleged corruption case of Mallam Abubakar Malami SAN, who is generally believed to be going through persecution because of his refusal to stay back in the APC, is another instance that the EFCC is expected to clear itself of instead of doing what a sad Nigerian call “crocodile cries”.
Malami had slammed the EFCC chairman saying his investigation should be taken away from him as, according to him, he has personal reason of vendetta against him over his lawful duties involving a panel report indicating the EFCC during his (Malami) time in office.
Olukoyede’s case got worse when, after many court granted bails he refused to honour in favour of Malami until early this week’s new bail that was met, the EFCC suddenly and allegedly handed him to the Department of State Service (DSS) to re-arrest him thus finally putting Nigeria’s democracy on the slab of slaughter, under Tinubu, we gathered.
Corroborating this, Dr. Ladan Salihu, African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, while discussing this pattern of anti-corruption fight said in Trust TV Thursday night saying, “The most disastrous thus far in Nigeria’s history in the current stanza of 25 years of our unbroken democracy is APC. APC and its government, and its governance, and its shenanigans.
He cited the situation where Yahaya Bello, former Kogi State governor with all his corruption allegations, is walking freely when Abubakar Malami SAN is in custody.
