Olukoyede refutes allegations of political bias in EFCC operations

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has strongly denied claims that the Commission is being weaponized by President Bola Tinubu to target opposition figures.

In an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Wednesday, Olukoyede dismissed the allegations as a calculated attempt to derail the administration’s focus and undermine its anti-corruption efforts.

“These claims are mere distractions,” he stated. “President Tinubu is solely focused on performance and delivery. His constant concern when meeting with heads of ministries, departments, and agencies is, ‘What have you done?’ ‘How much have you recovered?’ That’s the President’s language.”

Olukoyede, who assumed office as EFCC chairman in 2023, emphasized that the President does not interfere with the Commission’s operations and does not tolerate mediocrity. “Nigerians should appreciate the kind of president we have right now,” he said. “This isn’t about politics. It’s about results.”

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Responding to criticisms that the EFCC is primarily targeting opposition members, Olukoyede pointed to the Commission’s track record, noting that more members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have faced investigation and prosecution than those from rival parties.

“If you examine our high-profile cases, you’ll find more APC members among them,” he said. “Justice must be impartial. We cannot turn a blind eye to wrongdoing based on political affiliation. That would be a betrayal of our mandate.”

He acknowledged the sensitivity surrounding such investigations but stressed that the EFCC must uphold fairness above political considerations. “For us to ignore opposition figures out of fear of criticism would be unjust,” he added.

The EFCC chairman also addressed integrity concerns within the agency itself. He revealed that 27 EFCC staff members have been dismissed for various offences since he took over leadership, a move he described as painful but necessary.

“We cannot fight corruption effectively if we ourselves are compromised,” Olukoyede said. “Those in this fight must first be above reproach. We’ve taken action against erring staff and several other cases are still under review.”

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