Atiku, ADC Slam Tambuwal’s Arrest, Allege EFCC Is a Political Tool—Commission Denies Bias

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Tinubu administration of weaponising Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies to cow the opposition, following the EFCC’s detention of ex-Sokoto governor Aminu Tambuwal over alleged ₦189bn withdrawals. In a statement, Atiku claimed the move targets a key member of an opposition coalition gearing up to challenge the president in 2027, arguing that the anti-corruption fight has been “objectified” to pressure rivals into defecting to the ruling APC. He urged civil society and international partners to reject what he called the politicisation of the EFCC.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) echoed the charge, warning against “media trials” it says are designed to scandalise opposition figures. Citing ongoing probes of Tambuwal, Emeka Ihedioha, and others who have long left office, the ADC questioned the timing and selectivity of investigations ahead of election season. “A fight against corruption that begins and ends with the opposition is not justice; it is persecution,” the party said, asking why files involving “APC big men” appear to be “gathering dust.”

The EFCC pushed back, insisting it is non-partisan and driven solely by evidence. In a statement signed by Head of Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale, the commission said “fraud is fraud,” with no sacred cows. It described the ADC’s claims as “self-serving” and “diversionary,” stressing that corruption probes are not constrained by time or political calendars and noting it is also investigating senior APC figures, including sitting governors and ministers.

Analysts say the confrontation underscores a familiar dilemma: how to sustain a credible anti-corruption drive in a hyper-political environment. While opposition parties frame recent arrests as selective justice, the EFCC argues that only the courts—not headlines—will settle the facts. For now, the political stakes are rising: the Tambuwal case will test public confidence in Nigeria’s institutions and shape perceptions of fairness as 2027 looms.