Presidency slams opposition, dismisses claims of threat to democracy

The Presidency has dismissed claims by opposition figures that Nigeria’s multi-party democracy is under threat, describing the allegations as desperate distractions by politicians struggling to remain relevant.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said recent criticisms from opposition politicians amounted to “subterfuge and an empty search for scapegoats” by individuals unwilling to accept their political decline.

Onanuga said politicians defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had done so voluntarily, stressing that the Constitution guarantees freedom of association and the right to change political affiliation.

He argued that the wave of defections was driven by confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, not intimidation or coercion, and questioned whether democracy was ever considered endangered when politicians defected en masse to the Peoples Democratic Party between 2000 and 2015.

The presidential aide also rejected allegations that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was being used as a political tool against opposition figures, maintaining that the anti-graft agency operates independently.

“President Tinubu does not issue directives to any anti-corruption agency on whom to investigate, arrest or prosecute,” Onanuga said, adding that the EFCC’s mandate applies to all Nigerians regardless of political affiliation or status.

He noted that several of the politicians raising concerns had previously been investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC before Tinubu assumed office in 2023, while others had been implicated in international money laundering probes.

According to Onanuga, accusations of “weaponisation” were attempts to evade accountability and divert attention from governance reforms achieved under the current administration, including Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

He urged political actors to respect national institutions and confront allegations against them through legal channels rather than undermining the anti-corruption drive with what he described as politicised narratives.

“The fight against corruption is a collective responsibility,” he said, warning that political affiliation must not be used as a shield against accountability.