The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has publicly refuted claims that it protects high-profile politicians who switch allegiance to the ruling party.
The anti-graft agency specifically stated that the active investigation against the former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa remains unaffected by his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and his successor, Sheriff Oborevwori, were initially investigated for the alleged diversion of the N1.3 trillion oil derivation funds. Their subsequent move from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC in April 2025 led to accusations from the public that the EFCC had paused or dropped the case.
Nigerians, both on and offline, have accused the EFCC of a perceived double standard, suggesting that a political “jump ship” to the ruling party results in cases being dropped or delayed.
Speaking through the Director of Legal and Prosecution, Sylvanus Tahir, the EFCC rejected the accusations of bias, maintaining that it operates independently.
There was a question asked by someone saying, it is alleged that politicians who jump ship to the ruling party are shielded. The simple answer is that it’s not true…I think the reference was made to the case of a former governor of Delta state. To the best of my knowledge, the case is still undergoing investigation. And in due course, justice will be served
The EFCC is expected to provide further updates on the Okowa case to substantiate its claim of impartiality and to maintain public trust. The commission’s recent statement aims to reassure Nigerians and other domestic critics of its independence.
The commission also indicated it is tackling other complex transnational financial investigations, including an alleged fraud by the Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) platform, which involves actors and transactions across multiple countries.
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