A storm is gathering within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and it is not from the opposition. It is from within.
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a founding member and outspoken chieftain of the party, has unleashed a searing critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent political maneuvers, warning that they reflect a growing desperation to cling to power ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At the heart of the controversy is the appointment of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official, as the new APC National Chairman — a move Eze describes as a “prelude to manipulation.”
Coupled with what he calls a targeted weaponization of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against perceived enemies, Eze warns that Nigeria is staring down the barrel of electoral subversion.
“Appointing an ex-INEC boss to head the ruling party and turning the EFCC into a political hit squad won’t save Tinubu from being voted out in 2027. The people are watching. They’ve suffered enough,” Eze declared in a statement made available on Wednesday.
For Eze, these moves are not mere coincidences. They are part of a carefully laid script aimed at securing a second term for President Tinubu — not through performance or popular appeal, but through institutional control and intimidation.
“This is not about APC versus PDP, or APC versus any other party,” he stressed. “This is APC versus Nigerians — tired, angry, hungry Nigerians.”
He condemned what he termed the “activation of EFCC’s attack mode” against political opponents, arguing that the timing and selectivity of recent probes suggest political calculations, not accountability.
One such example, he said, is the sudden revival of investigations into former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) — a close ally of former President Muhammadu Buhari. For Tinubu to target Malami, especially so soon after Buhari’s burial, Eze claimed, smacks of betrayal and political desperation.
“Malami isn’t just any former minister; he was Buhari’s legal backbone. This is not justice — it’s a warning shot. Tinubu is sending a message to every coalition builder that no one is untouchable,” he said.
Eze revealed that Malami is being investigated over five multi-billion naira transactions during his time in office, including a $496 million payout to Global Steel Holdings Ltd over the Ajaokuta Steel dispute — long after the company had waived all claims, the controversial auction of assets seized from politically exposed persons and the $419 million Paris Club refund judgment, which triggered a storm of legal and political scrutiny.
Others according to him are a $200 million settlement deal with Sunrise Power over the stalled Mambilla project and an alleged duplicated legal fees in the repatriation of the $321 million Abacha loot from Switzerland.
Eze insisted that while no official should be shielded from scrutiny, the selectivity and timing of these actions betray a hidden agenda.
“You don’t fight corruption by sparing your friends and going after your enemies. That’s not reform. That’s repression,” he thundered.
In what may be his most biting comment yet, Eze said Tinubu should prepare to return to Lagos in 2027, not out of choice, but by the force of public rejection at the polls.
“No amount of appointments, propaganda, or political witch-hunting will stop the coming wave. Nigerians will reclaim their mandate through the ballot, not bullets.”
He described the ongoing suffering across the country — from fuel price shocks to economic dislocation — as a ticking time bomb.
“This government’s policies are neither pro-poor nor pro-people. It’s all about survival of the fittest. But Nigerians are waking up.”
Eze accused the Tinubu administration of recycling the old, discredited tactic of using security and anti-corruption agencies to hound the opposition.
“It’s tired. It’s predictable. It doesn’t work anymore. The DSS, EFCC, ICPC — these are national institutions, not campaign departments.”
In a parting shot, Eze warned that every effort to hijack 2027 will meet with the resolve of a people united by suffering and hope.
“This isn’t just about politics. It’s about survival. It’s about reclaiming Nigeria from those who treat power as inheritance.”