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EFCC denies claim of its chairman Olukoyede holding pre-defection meeting with opposition Governors

May 24, 2025

EFCC denies claim of its chairman Olukoyede holding pre-defection meeting with opposition Governors

Paul Ibe, the spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has made allegations that Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), met with a current governor and his predecessor just before they switched to the All Progressives Congress (APC). These claims have been strongly denied.

In an interview on Channels Television on May 22, Ibe stated that the meeting occurred at a government lodge in a southern state, just 48 hours before the unnamed governors officially joined the APC.

He also claimed that the Solicitor-General of the Federation was present at this meeting but did not disclose the names of those involved, suggesting they were from a southern state.

The EFCC quickly rejected these allegations as unfounded. In a statement released on May 23, spokesperson Dele Oyewale emphasized that Olukoyede is dedicated to remaining neutral and non-partisan.

“Olukoyede has repeatedly stated that he is apolitical, and the EFCC is entirely against partisan activities,” the statement said. Oyewale described the allegations as “clearly fabricated and in poor taste.”

Kamarudeen Ogundele, a media aide to Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, also condemned the allegations as false. “While Ibe did not name anyone, the public can guess who he might be referring to. However, we want to make it clear that this allegation is completely unfounded and merely a product of Mr. Ibe’s imagination,” he stated.

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This controversy arises amid a series of high-profile defections from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC. In April, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, officially joined the APC. Additionally, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has expressed intentions to defect to the ruling party. Both states are located in Nigeria’s southern geopolitical zone, which is central to Ibe’s allegations.