A coalition of prominent opposition leaders has issued a joint statement warning of what it describes as the growing politicisation of Nigeria’s anti-corruption and security agencies.
The statement, jointly signed by former Senate President David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mallam Lawal Batagawara, Chief Bode George, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and former APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, accuses the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deploying state institutions to systematically target opposition figures.
According to the coalition, agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are increasingly perceived as instruments of “selective justice,” rather than neutral enforcers of the law.
The opposition leaders argue that allegations involving members of the ruling party are often ignored or quietly handled, while even unproven claims against opposition figures are aggressively pursued and amplified through public and media trials.
They cited recent cases that, in their view, reinforce public distrust. In one instance, a former minister linked to a major financial scandal reportedly resigned only after widespread public pressure but has yet to face prosecution, while remaining active in the ruling party’s political campaigns.
The coalition warned that this pattern signals a broader attempt to intimidate opposition leaders, coerce defections, and weaken Nigeria’s multiparty democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
They called on Nigerians and the international community to closely monitor developments and urged that anti-corruption efforts must be transparent, impartial, and focused on accountability rather than political persecution.
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