by Mohammed Bello Doka
18 July, 2026.
When a government declares war on corruption, the world expects to see the sword of justice swing evenly, cutting through the ranks of the powerful regardless of their political affiliation. But in Nigeria today, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that sword is carefully aimed. It is a weapon of political manipulation, not a tool for genuine accountability. The president has surrounded himself with men carrying heavy bags of corruption allegations, and this is no accident. It is a calculated strategy where the allegations themselves become thumbscrews to control those in his inner circle.
Let us begin with the president's own history. Tinubu has for decades been enmeshed in controversies surrounding his identity, age, and academic records. The Chicago State University saga raised questions that have never been satisfactorily answered. When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance. Tinubu's personal history of alleged forgery and perjury has institutionalized falsehood in public service, creating an environment where ministers and aides falsify documents, inflate records, and desecrate the moral foundation of the nation.
The pattern is unmistakable. Look at Abdullahi Ganduje, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress. In October 2025, the Kano State Government filed a 10-count criminal charge against him, his two sons, and associates over the alleged fraudulent transfer of 80 percent of the shares of the Dala Inland Dry Port to a private entity. He faces allegations of diverting over N4.49 billion in state funds meant for the port's infrastructure to personally benefit his family. In separate petitions, he has been accused of diverting over N57.43 billion meant for Kano's local governments. Then there are the infamous dollar videos from 2018, allegedly showing him receiving $5 million in bribes from contractors. Yet this man was appointed chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. His current trial over alleged misappropriation of public funds has been adjourned to October 2026, a convenient delay that keeps the sword hanging but never falling.
Ganduje resigned as APC National Chairman in June 2025, citing health concerns, but political observers quickly saw through the narrative. Sources revealed he was forced out to pave the way for his political rival Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to join the APC, due to an alleged fallout with the presidency, and to placate the North Central region's agitation for the chairmanship. His health explanation crumbled when he was seen inaugurating the FAAN board and visiting London shortly after his resignation. The promise of a bigger position never materialized, and Kwankwaso never joined the party. Ganduje was left dangling, a loyalist whose value to the presidency had expired. Yet he remains tethered to Tinubu's camp. In July 2026, when posters circulated suggesting he had defected to the New Democratic Congress, Ganduje swiftly dismissed them, declaring he was not a nomadic politician or a vulture flying from one tree to another. He reaffirmed his commitment to Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda. But the desperation in his words is palpable. A man with corruption charges hanging over his head cannot afford to be seen as disloyal. Once loyalty breaks, the sword falls. That is the thumbscrew.
Then there is Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Bagudu was a key associate of the late dictator Sani Abacha, part of a network that embezzled, misappropriated, and extorted billions from Nigeria, laundering the proceeds through U.S. financial institutions. In 2003, Bagudu was arrested in the U.S. and spent six months in federal prison before striking a deal to return $163 million to Nigeria. The 2021 Pandora Papers investigation also linked him to offshore shell companies used to hide dirty money. Despite this international documentation, Bagudu is now Nigeria's chief economic planner, overseeing the national budget. The man who allegedly helped steal billions is now in charge of the country's purse strings.
Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, presents an even more disturbing picture. In April 2026, U.S. Democratic lawmaker Kimberly Daniels publicly alleged that Matawalle attempted to bribe an American official to counter a report describing killings in Northern Nigeria as genocide against Christians. Beyond this international scandal, Matawalle faces allegations of massive financial corruption as Zamfara Governor, with figures ranging from N70 billion to N528 billion allegedly diverted. Even more alarming are the allegations linking him to bandit groups, with a former aide reportedly detailing the direct transfer of funds to bandit leader Bello Turji. The man responsible for national security is accused of funding the very criminals he is supposed to fight.
But the rot extends far beyond these three men. The entire Tinubu cabinet is a gallery of the accused. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas face a lawsuit from SERAP over allegations of a N3 million bribe-for-bills scandal at the National Assembly, where lawmakers allegedly pay to present motions and bills. SERAP has also called for the probe of over N6.3 billion in constituency project funds that the Auditor-General's 2022 report alleged were diverted or misappropriated. The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has been criticized for his assertion that corruption is Nigeria's biggest problem, a statement dripping with irony coming from a man in a government awash with allegations. Former ministers have been forced to resign over scandals. Uche Nnaji resigned in 2025 after the University of Nigeria, Nsukka disowned his degree certificate. Betta Edu was suspended in January 2024 after N585.189 million meant for vulnerable citizens was diverted into a private account. Yet none of these cases have led to prosecution. This is the essence of the thumbscrew strategy: keep the allegations alive enough to ensure loyalty, but never allow justice to fully run its course, because a prosecuted servant is a lost servant.
Civil society organizations have raised the alarm over the politicisation of anti-corruption agencies. The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties has condemned the selective enforcement of anti-corruption laws, warning that the fight against corruption has become a tool for political intimidation. The Coalition of National Civil Society Organizations, representing over 75 civil society groups nationwide, has expressed concern that state institutions are increasingly perceived as instruments of political persecution. These organizations have pointed to the troubling pattern where opposition figures face aggressive investigations and media trials, while allegations against members of the ruling party are routinely overlooked or quietly dropped. They have called for the immediate depoliticisation of the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies, warning that continued selective justice poses a grave threat to Nigeria's democratic future.
This is the genius of Tinubu's political manipulation. By surrounding himself with men carrying heavy corruption baggage, he ensures their absolute loyalty. Should any of them step out of line, the allegations can be unleashed, and they know it. The EFCC becomes not a tool for justice but a sword hanging over the heads of his inner circle, a constant reminder of who holds power over their freedom and reputation. It is a strategy of control through compromise, where the war against corruption is not fought to cleanse the system but to create a web of mutual vulnerability that binds the powerful together.
The real tragedy is that genuine anti-corruption efforts are collateral damage in this political game. Nigerians watch as their leaders preach accountability while practicing impunity. They see the billions allegedly stolen by the Abacha network now being managed by Bagudu. They see the man accused of funding bandits now in charge of national security. They see the former party chairman accused of receiving dollar bribes now clinging to the presidency with desperate loyalty. They know that this is not a war against corruption. It is political manipulation, a drama staged to maintain power while the country sinks deeper into the abyss of institutional decay.
Until Nigeria has a president who is himself beyond reproach, who can credibly wield the sword of justice without fear or favour, the fight against corruption will remain a farce. Tinubu's government is not fighting corruption; it is weaponising it, using allegations as thumbscrews to control his men while the nation watches in despair. The question for Nigerians is simple: how long will they tolerate a government that mistakes manipulation for governance and corruption for control?
Mohammed Bello Doka can be reached via [email protected]
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