“Join the APC and your sins will be forgiven.”
— Adams Oshiomhole, former APC National Chairman.
Those infamous words have aged like fine wine in the theatre of Nigerian politics. They are no longer just a gaffe or a cynical joke; they are now the most predictable rule in the country’s political playbook. In the Nigeria of today, corruption is not defined by guilt or innocence—it is defined by party membership.
And the EFCC, the very agency created to fight financial crimes, has evolved into a political gatekeeper—ferocious against the unconverted, and meek towards the ruling party faithful.
The latest victim of this hypocrisy is Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, two-term Governor of Sokoto State, respected parliamentarian, and leader of the opposition. Early this week, Tambuwal was whisked away by the EFCC and held for almost 24 hours over allegations that, in a just and fair political climate, wouldn’t have warranted such humiliation.
Tambuwal’s real offence? He has not joined the All Progressives Congress.
While Tambuwal was enduring interrogation in EFCC custody, the roll call of politically baptised billionaires who have been granted freedom through defection kept growing—men and women whose corruption allegations dwarf anything Tambuwal has ever been accused of.
The Hall of the Forgiven
Take Ifeanyi Okowa, former Delta State Governor. The EFCC accused him of misappropriating an eye-watering ₦1.3 trillion from the 13% derivation fund, alongside ₦40 billion sunk into bank shares and real estate in Abuja and Asaba. Arrested in November 2024, his name dominated headlines for weeks. But when Okowa crossed over to the APC, the EFCC’s war drums fell silent. The “urgent” case dissolved like sugar in hot tea.
Godswill Akpabio faced ₦108.1 billion corruption allegations from his days in Akwa Ibom. In 2018, he joined APC—and suddenly, the EFCC lost interest. Today, he is not only free but sits as Senate President, the third most powerful man in the country.
Orji Uzor Kalu, a convicted looter who faced trial for billions in state funds, defected mid-trial. A legal technicality set him free, and he marched straight back to the Senate without a hint of shame.
Stella Oduah, accused in a ₦5 billion fraud case, defected to the APC in 2021 and saw her trial cool off—only for it to be revived when she left the party. Musiliu Obanikoro, accused of pocketing ₦4.7 billion to influence elections, switched sides and magically transformed from suspect to prosecution witness.
Peter Nwaoboshi was charged with money laundering, convicted, and sentenced. But he evaded arrest, then re-emerged with a Supreme Court acquittal—comfortably within APC’s embrace.
The list stretches on:
- Theodore Orji – ₦27 billion mismanagement probe, no charges after defection.
- Danjuma Goje – ₦5 billion case dropped after aligning with APC power brokers.
- Aliyu Wamakko – ₦15 billion theft allegation, untouched post-defection.
- Sullivan Chime – ₦23 billion fraud claims buried after crossing over.
- Hope Uzodinma – Fraud and smuggling allegations disappeared upon joining APC.
It is a political miracle factory. In the Nigerian context, this is not a conspiracy theory; it is documented political history.
Selective Justice on Parade
This is why Tambuwal’s detention reeks of political persecution. The EFCC, which has turned a blind eye to mountains of evidence against APC converts, suddenly found its courage when faced with a man who has refused to defect.
Tambuwal’s record, whether you agree with his politics or not, is not littered with the billion-naira scandals of his peers. Yet he was detained, interrogated, and released after almost 24 hours as though he were a hardened criminal. The message is chilling:
“Join us, or we will break you.”
This is not anti-corruption. This is anti-opposition. It is justice wielded like a cudgel to intimidate and silence dissent, while the ruling party turns the EFCC into a sanctuary for the politically anointed.
A Dangerous Precedent
A democracy where the law is applied based on party membership is not a democracy—it is a mafia state in designer suits. The EFCC’s double standard is not only undermining its credibility; it is eroding the very foundation of public trust in governance.
When the agency that should be the guardian of accountability becomes the attack dog of the ruling elite, the fight against corruption dies a quiet death. And when opposition leaders like Tambuwal are punished for independence, the line between justice and political vendetta is obliterated.
Tambuwal’s ordeal is more than a personal attack; it is a symbol of how far Nigeria has drifted from the principles of equality before the law. His release after 24 hours is no victory—it is a warning.
And so, in the cruel irony of our times, we must conclude:
Tambuwal was detained for something he did not do: yes, he did not join APC.