The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has firmly denied allegations that its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, held a secret meeting with a sitting governor and a former governor just two days before they defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The denial follows claims made by Paul Ibe, spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, during a recent television interview. Ibe had alleged that both the EFCC chairman and the Solicitor General met with two governors—one serving and one former—from the South-South region, 48 hours before they switched political allegiance to the APC.
According to Ibe, the meeting took place at a government lodge in a South-South state. However, he did not name the governors involved.
Responding to the claims, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale issued a statement on Friday categorically denying the allegation and defending Olukoyede’s impartiality.
> “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is outraged by the unfounded claims of Mr. Paul Ibe, spokesperson to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, alleging that Ola Olukoyede, Executive Chairman, held a secret meeting with an unnamed politician.”
Oyewale emphasized that Ibe’s statements were speculative and lacking in substance.
> “Ibe, who was a guest on Seun Okinbaloye’s Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, May 22, 2025, bared his mind on sundry theories, conjectures and assumptions relating to opposition politics and defections.
However, his allegations of the Executive Chairman EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede and Solicitor General of the Federation’s alleged meeting with an unnamed governor forty-eight hours before his defection to the ruling All People’s Congress, APC, are patently fabricated and in bad taste.”
He reiterated that Olukoyede remains politically neutral and committed to the nonpartisan mission of the EFCC.
> “Olukoyede has stressed at several fora that he is apolitical and the EFCC totally wired against partisan tendencies.”
Oyewale urged the public to disregard the claims, asserting they have no factual basis.
Meanwhile, PUNCH Online reports that Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, both defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in April. Additionally, the governor of Akwa Ibom has declared his intention to leave the PDP for the ruling party.
