The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied claims of politicisation of its operations, maintaining that the fight against corruption remains non-partisan.
This follows recent accusations by some opposition politicians alleging that the Commission has been weaponised for political purposes and questioning the independence of its operations.
In a statement issued on Monday, the anti-graft agency described allegations of the “weaponisation of the EFCC”, “erosion of EFCC’s independence”, “persecution of opposition politicians”, and “politicisation of EFCC’s operations”, among others, as deliberate misrepresentations of the Commission’s mandate to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes.
“First, the Commission’s weapon is its Establishment Act which provides the ground norm of its activities. The Act mandates the Commission to investigate and prosecute all economic and financial crimes.
The only exception to criminal prosecution by the Commission are political officers granted constitutional immunity during their tenure. Suspects of corrupt practices from the ruling party, opposition party and non- partisan actors have no immunity and are being equally investigated and prosecuted by the EFCC,” the statement reads in part.
According to the EFCC, a review of arrests and prosecutions carried out by the Commission in the last two years under the current leadership shows that influential members of the ruling party, including former governors, ministers, and other individuals not widely known to the public, are being investigated and prosecuted alongside opposition politicians and others.
The anti-corruption agency emphasised that it remains faithful solely to its mandate, noting that its duty is to combat corruption and not to pursue any imagined adversary or political agenda.
It described as untenable the insinuation by opposition politicians that there is a discernible pattern of persecution against them by the EFCC with the sole objective of weakening the opposition for the benefit of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Where is persecution in asking a suspect of corrupt practice to account for his sleaze? Is stealing, embezzlement of public funds, contract fraud, money laundering and other corrupt practices excusable for some?
“Corruption has no gender, religion, tribe, political party or other extraneous alignment. Selective outrage cannot be a defence against criminal investigation for graft. The crucial question is, are opposition politicians being investigated or prosecuted by the Commission wrongly accused?” the EFCC queried.
It continued: “What threatens democracy is not the EFCC doing its job, but the attempt to intimidate or blackmail it into abandoning investigation allegations against corrupt opposition politicians for fear of accusations of selectivity.
“What the so-called opposition politicians are seeking to achieve in this assault against the EFCC is far from altruistic, but a veiled attempt to confer immunity from prosecution for alleged corruption on politicians who suddenly find themselves in the opposition.”
The Commission said that such a move is alien to the Nigerian constitution and the EFCC’s enabling law, both of which compel the agency to act on any credible evidence of corruption, regardless of the political position or affiliation of the accused.
It emphasised that it would not succumb to blackmail or be pressured into conducting inconclusive investigations merely to create an appearance of non-selectivity.
The EFCC also warned that calls for amendments into its enabling Act to satisfy the demands of a disgruntled segment of the political class should be treated with caution, as such changes may not serve the national interest.
The agency further urged all well-meaning, reform-minded, and patriotic Nigerians to support its “dignity-restoring mandate”.
