…FG Fires Back, Says Opposition on “Empty Search for Scapegoats”
By Yinka Giwa
Nigeria’s leading opposition figures have demanded a far-reaching probe of the Buhari and Tinubu administrations, warning that the country is drifting dangerously towards authoritarianism and the systematic destruction of opposition politics under the guise of governance.
In a joint statement titled “Anti-Corruption, Not Anti-Opposition,” the opposition leaders said they were compelled by conscience and duty to alert Nigerians and the international community to what they described as a gradual but deliberate erosion of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
They expressed deep concern that state power is increasingly being deployed, not to strengthen institutions or protect citizens, but to intimidate political opponents, silence dissenting voices, and weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the leaders, Nigerians are witnessing an unfolding agenda aimed at bringing all state governments under the control of the ruling party, not through credible elections, but through subtle pressure, intimidation, and inducement of opposition governors and political actors. They said recent defections by opposition governors have reinforced public suspicion that coercion rather than conviction is driving political realignments across the country.
The opposition figures warned that the strategy goes beyond governors and extends to key opposition leaders perceived as central to emerging political coalitions, stressing that the ultimate goal appears to be the annihilation of opposition and the entrenchment of a de facto one-party state.
They argued that such a development would mark a dangerous reversal of Nigeria’s democratic gains and undermine the constitutional principle of political pluralism.
The leaders also raised alarm over what they described as selective justice and double standards in public accountability, noting that allegations of wrongdoing against individuals aligned with the ruling party are often treated with leniency or ignored, while opposition figures are subjected to intense scrutiny, public vilification, and prolonged legal battles.
They said this perceived imbalance has eroded public confidence in governance and weakened the credibility of the anti-corruption fight as a national project.
Beyond concerns about political persecution, the opposition leaders called for a comprehensive and transparent review of public finances across all tiers of government, demanding an independent examination of federal, state, and local government accounts covering the period from 2015 to 2025. They said such a review is necessary to restore public trust, ensure accountability, and establish that no administration or political party is above scrutiny.
They proposed that the independent review body be chaired by an eminent judge and include representatives of civil society organisations, professional bodies, security agencies, financial intelligence institutions, and all political parties represented in the National Assembly. According to them, the body should be empowered to publish its findings and recommend reforms to strengthen public financial management.
The opposition leaders further stressed the need to shift Nigeria’s approach to corruption control from an overreliance on punishment after the fact to stronger preventive mechanisms. They argued that preventing misuse of public funds through transparency, oversight, and real-time checks is more effective and less destabilising than selective prosecutions that deepen political divisions.
They warned that continued political injustice, shrinking democratic space, and suppression of opposition could push the country towards instability as the next election cycle approaches.
Calling on Nigerians across political, ethnic, and religious lines to remain vigilant, the leaders said the defence of democracy cannot be left to politicians alone, stressing that silence in the face of injustice would amount to complicity.
They also disclosed plans to engage Nigeria’s international partners and diplomatic missions, including those of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, the United Nations, and the World Bank, to raise concerns about what they described as growing threats to democratic governance in Nigeria.
The statement was jointly signed by former Senate President David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mallam Lawal Batagarawa, Chief Bode George, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former APC national chairman John Odigie-Oyegun.
But in a swift reaction, the Presidency rejected the opposition’s claims that President Bola Tinubu is undermining Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and deploying state institutions to persecute political opponents, describing the allegations as unfounded, self-serving and politically motivated.
Reacting to the joint statement by opposition leaders calling for a probe of the Buhari and Tinubu administrations and warning against the annihilation of opposition politics, the Presidency said the claims were an attempt to deflect attention from the opposition’s internal failures and waning political relevance.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused the opposition figures of engaging in “subterfuge and an empty search for scapegoats” following repeated political setbacks.
According to the Presidency, recent defections of politicians to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were neither coerced nor engineered by the Federal Government, but a constitutional exercise of freedom of association.
“The people joining the APC are doing so of their own free will, motivated by the noticeable gains of President Bola Tinubu’s reform programme,” the statement said, adding that similar waves of defections to the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2000 and 2015 did not provoke accusations of democratic collapse.
The Presidency also dismissed suggestions that anti-corruption agencies were being weaponised against the opposition, insisting that such institutions operate independently within the framework of the law.
While noting that it does not speak on behalf of the anti-graft the Presidency stressed that the agencies have a statutory responsibility to investigate and prosecute financial crimes without regard to political affiliation or status.
“It is curious that those who claim to want to rescue Nigeria are now waging a war against accountability and probity,” the statement said, urging politicians facing investigation to defend themselves through established legal processes rather than resorting to public accusations.
The statement further emphasised that President Tinubu does not issue directives to anti-corruption agencies on who to investigate or prosecute, noting that prosecutions and convictions are determined by the courts, not by the executive arm of government.
Describing the opposition’s narrative as a distraction, the Presidency argued that the claims reflect a lack of credible policy alternatives or campaign issues against an administration it said has recorded notable reforms and achievements in less than three years.
It also recalled that some of the signatories to the opposition statement had faced investigations or prosecutions by anti-graft agencies long before Tinubu assumed office in 2023, while others were allegedly linked to unresolved international financial crime cases.
Warning against attempts to discredit national institutions for political gain, the Presidency maintained that the fight against corruption is a collective national responsibility that must be insulated from partisan politics.
“No one is above the law, and political affiliation should not serve as a shield against accountability,” the statement said, citing Nigeria’s recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as evidence of progress in strengthening financial transparency and governance.
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