Politics
EFCC And 2011 Polls
Recently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had submitted an advisory list containing names of prominent politicians, former and serving public officers, alleged to have one case or another pending before various courts in the country.
The list contained at least 100 names with 40 prominent politicians whom the commission said should be barred from running for elective offices in the forthcoming 2011 elections.
The EFCC’s intention as speculated, may not be unconnected with a purported pre-emptive measure to stop or dashing the hope of some politicians with ambition to contest election in 2011.
The list had generated furore and negative reactions from prominent citizens in the country. Some believed that EFCC has become political tool in the hands of privileged government officials as instrument of intimidation against perceived political opponents.
The Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Government House, Hon. Nyesom Wike, whose name was conspicuously mentioned said: “it is a political vendetta.
Some citizens also saw the EFCC are institution and instrument poised to witch hunt perceived political opponents that refused to tow their political ideology.
This no doubt was said to be the ugly face of the commission under the erstwhile chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The them EFCC chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu’s similar advisory list caused serious political uproar prior to the 2007 general elections.
The dust generated a number of controversial tendencies with the disqualification of the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State now incumbent Governor, Rt Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Chief Peter Okocha, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate in Delta State and former vice president, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, among others.
With determination and courage, they fought their cases to the Supreme Court where the Supreme Court judgments gave them victory at the end of the day.
However, the questions agitating the minds of concerned Nigerians are whether the EFCC has such powers to stop any politician from contesting the forthcoming election based on the advisory list?
Will the 64 registered political parties in Nigeria accept the advisory list to act upon it thereof?
Is EFCC now usurping the constitutional functions of the law courts as to stop candidates without any conviction by the court?
However, perusing the law setting up the anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment Act 2004), the EFCC was charged with among others functions, the duties of investigation of all financial crimes including advance fee fraud, money laundering, counterfeiting, illegal charge transfers, future market fraud, fraudulent encashment of negotiable instruments, computer credit card fraud, contract scam etc.
Also, the EFCC shall adopt any measures to identify, trace, freeze, confiscate or seize proceeds derived from terrorist activities, economic and financial crimes related offences or the properties, the value of which corresponds to such proceeds.
Again, EFCC has such function of the examination and investigation of all reported cases of economic and financial crimes with a view to identifying individuals, corporate bodies or groups. From the legal perspective therefore, EFCC was not charged with the responsibility of stopping any candidate from contesting elections or to compile any advisory list to the political parties.
A prominent legal practitioner based in Port Harcourt, Barr. Awanen Jas, said the EFCC lacked the power to advise political parties on whom they should endorse for elections.
The legal luminary added that until a person is convicted by a law court, nobody has the right to stop a person from standing for election.
“EFCC has no powers under the law establishing the anti-graft agency to stop any aspirant”, he declares.
Also speaking to The Tide, an Attorney at law of the OLORI EGBE & Co Port Harcourt law office, Olubisi Mikail Afolabi, Esq, said the political parties should disregard the EFCC’s advisory list as the agency cannot constitute itself unto a court of law to stop any candidate vying for elective position.
Mikail Afolabi added that it is only court of law of competent jurisdiction having found any politician guilty of corruption and upon conviction can such politician be stopped from contesting election and not mere EFCC’s advisory list.
Also speaking to The Tide exclusively, in Port Harcourt, the Chief of staff to the Rivers State Governor and former chairman, Obio/Akpor local government area, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, whose name was among the names on the EFCC advisory list faulted the inclusion of his name by the anti-graft agency in the advisory list to the political parties, said that he has no case to answer before the anti-graft agency.
He stated that EFCC should not be a political tool to be used to witch- hunt politicians with integrity and willingness to serve their constituency.
Chief Wike added that EFCC wrongly included his name in the advisory list of politicians having cases pending against them in court.
The Chief of Staff emphasised that the case between him and the EFCC which started in 2008, originating from his arraignment by the EFCC before Abuja High Court and then to the Court of Appeal Abuja, presided over by His Lordship Justice Ayobode Olokulo-Sodipe, where the Appeal Court ruled in his favour by quashing such criminal case against him.
He further explained that from March 2009, when the Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted him of any wrong doing, the EFCC has not appealed against that judgment or any case against him to warrant his name being listed by the commission.
However, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ishmael Guorima, had a contrary opinion. He said the EFCC’s advisory list is timely to the political parties to be careful with certain candidate being considered to be fielded for elective position.
The senior lecturer said the EFCC’s advisory list is a welcome development and a clear departure of the modus operadi of EFCC under Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
He said the list to the political parties is to advise the parties that, “please they should look before they leap in fielding candidates”.
However, the various political parties have the discretionary power to field any candidate they consider as their choice, if such a candidate wins the primaries of the parties.
It is the consensus opinion that EFCC should be guided by law in its operations to avoid being used as political tool thereby defeat the noble objective of its primary responsibilities of fighting corruption.
Philip-Wuwu Okparaji
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.
Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.