Panic in ADC as EFCC goes after key members

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is allegedly targeting important members of the 2027 coalition who are trying to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election, which has caused panic within the African Democratic Congress.

This occurs as the EFCC questioned coalition member and former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday for alleged N189 billion in fraudulent cash withdrawals.

According to the source, Aminu Tambuwal, the former governor of Sokoto State, is being jailed in connection with alleged N189 billion in fraudulent cash transactions.

The Money Laundering (Prevention & Prohibition) Act of 2022 is being blatantly broken by the withdrawals. Around 11:30 a.m., the governor appeared to the EFCC headquarters and was questioned about the suspected financial wrongdoing.

"He is in custody at our Abuja corporate headquarters," stated another commission official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity since he was not authorized to discuss the issue. The inquiry is still under progress.

Around 11:30 a.m., Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto State from 2015 to 2023, came at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja and was brought in for interrogation.

The withdrawals were suspected of violating the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, according to an EFCC source.

ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi revealed that the anti-graft organization had invited three former governors who are important coalition figures, but EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale declined to comment when approached.

In an interview, ADC Abdullahi claimed, “Yes, they have summoned our members, but I won’t tell you names. There are three of them, former governors. While some are already National Assembly members, some are not.

Some departed their positions in 2023, while others did so earlier. This is an attempt to intimidate them into not actively participating in the coalition or to compel them to leave it. However, we are committed to saving Nigeria.

Abdullahi claimed in a statement released earlier Monday that the EFCC had betrayed its credibility by revisiting previous cases against opposition politicians while ignoring accusations against members of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

In response, the EFCC denied being a political instrument of the APC and insisted that any opposition members found guilty would be prosecuted in court.

However, the ADC cautioned that biased investigations favoring the ruling party undermined public confidence and made the battle against corruption more difficult.

"Several top members of the Opposition Coalition have gotten EFCC summonses in recent days that are obviously politically motivated," the ADC statement said. These are not new cases with new evidence; rather, they are new files that were opened in response to political affiliations that emerged in an attempt to scare important opposition members.

“The EFCC was created to be a fearless defender of the Nigerian people’s trust, applying the law evenly to all, friend or foe, ruling party or opposition. Today, that vision appears to have been compromised. The Commission now operates like a department of the APC, deployed to fight government critics and opposition figures thereby achieving what the government cannot achieve through public debate.

“Meanwhile, we have observed how investigations into ruling party allies quietly fade away while opposition figures are dragged before the court of public opinion with sometimes decade-old allegations that have been hastily revived and dressed up as fresh evidence. This is selective prosecution, and selective prosecution is the death of justice.

“It does appear that in today’s Nigeria, one’s guilt or innocence depends on one’s party membership, not evidence. For example, since a certain former governor defected to the APC with his state’s entire political machinery, the EFCC’s investigations into his administration have vanished from public view. Not a question has been asked. Not a document leaked. Not a single update. Yet the same EFCC still somehow find means to reopen old cases against opposition leaders and pursue the stale allegations against them.”

ADC stressed that the EFCC is owned by the Nigerian people and funded by taxpayers, not the APC.

ADC added, “It does not augur well for the EFCC if people think that all you need to point the accusing hands of the Commission in your direction is to stand opposed to the ruling party and all that it takes for protection is to align with the government.

“Unfortunately, this is the widely established perception in Nigeria today, which the commission by its recent actions, including the ongoing surreptitious harassment of opposition leaders, has given credence to.

“The ADC hereby calls on all Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the independent media to resist this dangerous slide into dictatorship and misuse of public institutions to achieve partisan objectives. The EFCC does not belong to the APC. It belongs to the Nigerian people. It is funded by taxpayers, not the ruling party.”

Reacting, the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale described the ADC’s allegations as untenable, daring the party to back its claims with facts.

He said, “This position is patently untenable and ridiculous. Where are the facts and statistics to justify such a claim?

“The commission is non-partisan and non-sectarian. Are cases Abdullahi is talking about concocted by the EFCC? Those who did the crime should be ready to have their time in court. Available records in our courts are enough to show that the EFCC only operates by its mandate, and the mandate does not make it an appendage of any political party.”

Listing their grievances, Tanko cited lack of inclusion in major deliberations. According to him, none of Peter Obi’s loyalists was deemed good enough to share a table with the ADC decision makers.

The EFCC move has caused panic in the coalition camp, according to several coalition sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

Many members of our coalition are worried about the EFCC's blatant display of power, which is clearly being exploited by those in positions of authority, according to one of the sources. However, we will no longer strive for a better Nigeria.

Given that a number of prominent politicians have recently removed themselves from the opposition coalition, this development exacerbates the crisis inside the group.

Tanko Yunusa, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, accused the coalition of marginalizing its members in a July 29, 2025, document, despite their crucial role in fortifying the political grouping.

“Several of our designated representatives and members are reportedly being excluded from crucial meetings where major decisions affecting the coalition are made.

“This creates an impression of marginalisation and undermines trust, which is essential for building a sustainable partnership,” he lamented.

In an interview Tanko stated that Peter Obi would make a decision on whether to join the ADC at the right time, stressing that he is not struggling for relevance within the coalition setup.

“His Excellency Peter Obi has said that he’s joining the coalition for the 2027 general election. At the moment, he’s made it clear that he’s a member of the Labour Party. So, when that time comes, he will take his decision.”

Also, former Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, declared his support for the APC and President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

This is as he dismissed claims linking him to a governorship ambition under the ADC.

In a Friday statement, he described the reports as “false publications” intended to cause distractions.

“I wish to publicly reaffirm my absolute and unshakable loyalty to the APC, the party under which I had the privilege of serving Lagos State as governor in 2015, and to President Bola Tinubu, my leader, mentor, and a tireless champion for Nigeria’s progress,” Ambode said.

Similarly, Kayode Fayemi, the former governor of Ekiti State, said he was still a dedicated member and leader of the APC in his home state.

In a statement released Sunday by Ahmad Sajoh, the head of the Fayemi Media Office in Abuja, the former governor denied a widely circulated assertion made by Rotimi Amaechi, the former governor of Rivers State, that he and Fayemi formed the ADC coalition before adding other members.

"We have attempted to confirm this assertion, which has acquired popularity on social and digital media, but we have not discovered any reliable proof to back it up," Sajoh stated.

We categorically declare that there is no foundation for these assertions. In Ekiti State, Dr. Fayemi is still a devoted APC member and leader.

He has often reaffirmed his commitment to the APC at public gatherings in Ekiti and across the country, striving to resolve its issues and further its progressive principles for Nigeria. Nothing has altered.

Boss Mustapha, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, also denied the rumor that he had defected from the ruling APC to the opposition alliance.

In a statement released on Sunday, Mustapha called the rumors "false news" and emphasized that he had not spoken with opposition members or their coalition partners.