Lagos, Nigeria - A civil society group, the Citizens Forum for Transparency and Integrity (CFTI), on Monday, May 12, accused former anti-graft boss Abdulrasheed Bawa of conspiring with opposition figures to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued in Lagos, the group claimed that Bawa, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), held recent meetings in London with opposition leaders and "third force" actors. The discussions allegedly centred on using his previous contacts within the EFCC to investigate four ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet.

“This is part of a broader campaign to discredit the current administration and erode public trust ahead of the next elections,” the statement read.

CFTI President Alhaji Aminu Mustapha Gidado said the planned operation aims to launch politically motivated corruption probes targeting high-profile cabinet members.

“From the intel available to us, we can confirm that four ministers have been deliberately selected for this smear campaign,” Gidado said.

“Three of them are former governors — David Umahi, Atiku Bagudu, and Bello Matawalle — and the fourth is Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.”

The group alleged that Bawa, who was removed from office in 2023, is acting out of “bitterness” and has been promised a political comeback under a proposed opposition-led administration as a National Adviser on Anti-Corruption. The new role would allegedly oversee major anti-graft institutions, including the EFCC, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

CFTI urged Nigerian security agencies, especially the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), to investigate the reported London meeting and monitor any back-channel efforts to weaponise anti-corruption agencies for political ends.

“This is not just about politics. It is about protecting our democratic institutions from manipulation and abuse,” the group said.

“Bawa may be out of office, but his network remains embedded within the system.”

The forum warned that the alleged scheme signals a potentially turbulent election cycle in 2027, marked by what it described as “coordinated blackmail, character assassination, and institutional sabotage.”

“The opposition is not preparing for elections; they are preparing for subversion,” said Gidado. “They know they can’t win at the ballot, so they’re trying to destroy from within.”

Gidado added that the targeted ministers are responsible for key policy reforms and investments, particularly in infrastructure, defence, and aviation sectors, which he said the opposition is attempting to disrupt.

CFTI called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and resist efforts to undermine confidence in public institutions.

“This country belongs to all of us, and no one, not even a former EFCC chairman, should be allowed to turn anti-graft agencies into tools of political warfare. We owe our democracy more than that,” Gidado said.

The group said it would continue to monitor political developments and expose any actions it believes threaten democratic governance or national stability.

“We are citizens with no political affiliation,” the statement concluded. “Our only loyalty is to truth, justice, and national stability.”

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Bawa, on Wednesday, April 30, visited ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in London, the United Kingdom.

The purpose of the visit of the former EFCC boss was not disclosed, but photos of their meeting surfaced online.

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Source: Legit.ng