Mustapha Salihu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) national vice chairman for the North East, says joining the ruling party does not provide immunity from investigation or prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Salihu spoke to journalists at his private residence in Yola on Saturday night, January 4, dismissing the perception that defectors run to the APC to evade anti-graft action.
He argued that the claim is being promoted to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s government, which he said has “zero tolerance for corruption.”
His comments follow earlier remarks by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who suggested the APC is increasingly attracting people trying to escape the EFCC.
“It is my belief that more patriots will soon join us even as the PDP self-destructs and the APC becomes a haven for EFCC fugitives,” Babachir said.
Babachir also accused the APC of being “delusional,” alleging that its strategy was to “write election results even before elections begin.”
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“This is pure delusion because it will not happen. Nigerians will back us to frustrate any criminal manipulation of the 2027 election results,” Babachir asserted.
Reacting, Salihu said anyone with evidence against an APC figure should follow due process by submitting a petition, adding that alleged wrongdoing would not be ignored on account of party membership.
“A lot of APC chieftains have done free bargain, and they are returning money. Anyone that stole money will be prosecuted, even if you join APC, because this administration has zero tolerance for corruption, as corruption killed the economy of the country,” he said.
Salihu also spoke about the APC’s roots, saying the party originally emerged as a coalition focused on winning power and removing then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We succeeded, and Jonathan was sent out of power. After that, people with a one-party ideology of policy-seeking coalition stayed on one side, and political pirates or buccaneers stayed on the other side,” Salihu said.
He added, “The power-seeking coalition is no longer in APC because they could not get what they wanted, but for the majority, we were a policy-seeking coalition, so we remain to build the country.”