Atiku explodes: Tinubu using EFCC as political weapon to crush opposition ahead 2027

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Tinubu-led administration of exploiting Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to target opposition leaders.

He specifically cited the detention of former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, as a politically motivated move.

In a strongly worded statement, Atiku condemned the administration for turning the fight against corruption into a tool for political coercion.

Atiku alleged that Tambuwal’s detention stemmed solely from his affiliation with an opposition coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

“The Tinubu administration has objectified the fight against corruption to harass, intimidate, and decimate the opposition,” Atiku stated, warning that such actions undermined the EFCC’s integrity, an institution he helped establish during his tenure.

The former vice president highlighted a disturbing trend where opposition figures face corruption allegations, only for their cases to be dropped upon defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Anyone who associates with the opposition is a target for phantom corruption allegations, but their ‘sins’ are forgiven once they align with Tinubu’s political agenda,” he said, describing this as a stimulant for corruption rather than a deterrent.

Atiku’s remarks come amid reports of Tambuwal’s detention on August 11, 2025, over alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals of ₦189 billion during his tenure as Sokoto governor from 2015 to 2023, charges said to violate the Money Laundering (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition voices have echoed Atiku’s concerns, accusing the EFCC of selective prosecution to weaken political rivals.

Calling for resistance from civil society and the international community, Atiku warned that the misuse of anti-corruption agencies risks turning Nigeria into a one-party state.

“We will never succumb to these anti-democratic machinations,” he vowed, urging Nigerians to condemn the politicization of institutions meant to uphold justice.