Tinubu’s govt using EFCC to blackmail governors into APC — Makinde alleges

By Ayobami Okerinde Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate governors and pressure them into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress. Makinde, who spoke during an interview on Arise News on Friday, alleged that opposition governors who refuse to defect to the APC risk being subjected to investigations and blackmail, warning that the development could undermine Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.

“What we’ve seen is, well, okay, I have the governors, they come to APC. If you don’t, you will be blackmailed,” Makinde said. To illustrate his claim, he described a situation in which a contractor working for an opposition-controlled state could face scrutiny over government contracts and financial transactions. “The EFCC will come down from that place. ‘Look, how much did they award this to you?

Go and bring your account. Who have you been paying?’ That is the situation that we are facing today,” he said. Makinde also alleged that the Federal Government tried to blackmail him over the Bodija explosion intervention funds, saying his administration had already compensated affected property owners before receiving federal assistance. He said the state engaged the Nigerian Society of Engineers and valuers to assess the damage and determine payments to victims.

“We’ve spent the money. We got Nigerian Society of Engineers. We got valuers. You know, they went out there, had valuation of the properties, and then we gave money back to those people, and we did it before even getting anything from the federal,” he said. He added that he released the state’s account of the transaction when the issue was raised and directed the Commissioner for Finance to channel the funds into projects.

Makinde did not provide evidence during the interview that the president or the APC had directed the EFCC to investigate opposition governors or their contractors.