Dare Babalola
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied claims that it’s targeting opposition politicians, emphasizing that its focus remains on investigating and prosecuting economic and financial crimes.
According to a statement posted on the anti-graft agency’s X page on Monday, claims that the EFCC is used to persecute opposition parties are a deliberate misrepresentation of its statutory responsibilities.
The EFCC stated that its operations are strictly guided by its Establishment Act, mandating the investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes without regard to political affiliation.
It noted that the only individuals exempt from prosecution are political office holders enjoying constitutional immunity during their tenure.
According to the Commission, records of arrests and prosecutions over the past two years show that suspects from both the ruling party and opposition parties, including former governors and ministers, have been investigated and prosecuted without bias.
The statement read partly, “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 EFCC stressed that corruption has no political, ethnic, religious or gender identity, adding that allegations of selective prosecution cannot serve as a defence against criminal investigation.
It described as untenable claims that there is a pattern of persecution aimed at weakening opposition parties for the benefit of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), asking whether demanding accountability from suspects accused of corruption amounts to persecution.
The Commission warned that attempts to intimidate or blackmail it into abandoning investigations under the guise of protecting democracy pose a greater threat to democratic governance than the lawful enforcement of anti-corruption laws.
It further alleged that the criticism from some opposition figures represents an attempt to secure de facto immunity from prosecution for politicians who find themselves outside government, a move it said is inconsistent with the Constitution and the EFCC Act.
The Commission said it would not succumb to pressure or abandon investigations in order to appear non-selective, warning that any amendment of its enabling law to satisfy political interests must be approached with caution and in the national interest.
“The Commission won’t succumb to blackmail or be railroaded into inconclusive investigations just to be seen to be non- selective in its operations,” EFCC declared.
The EFCC called on Nigerians to support its mandate, describing the fight against corruption as a collective, dignity-restoring national responsibility.
