‘Patently Fabricated’: EFCC Refutes Claims of Pre-Defection Meeting Between Olukoyede and Governor
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has refuted claims that its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, held a meeting with a former South-South governor and his predecessor 48 hours prior to their transition to the All Progressives Congress.
The denial came in response to statements made by a spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, during a recent interview on Channels Television.
Ibe, a guest on Seun Okinbaloye’s Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, alleged that the EFCC Chairman and the Solicitor General met with both a former and a serving governor from the South-South region 48 hours prior to their defection to the APC. He also stated that the meeting occurred at a government lodge in the South-South state.
There were reports indicating that the governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, along with his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, transitioned from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC in April.In response to the allegation, the EFCC issued a statement on Friday expressing its strong disapproval of Ibe’s claims, labelling them as unfounded and clearly fabricated.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) expresses strong disapproval of the baseless allegations put forth by Mr. Paul Ibe, spokesperson for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President, regarding a supposed clandestine meeting involving Ola Olukoyede, the Executive Chairman, and an unidentified politician.
Ibe, a guest on Seun Okinbaloye’s Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, May 22, 2025, shared his insights on various theories, conjectures, and assumptions regarding opposition politics and defections.
“However, the claims regarding the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, and the Solicitor General of the Federation purportedly meeting with an unnamed governor forty-eight hours prior to his defection to the ruling All People’s Congress (APC) are clearly unfounded and inappropriate.” Olukoyede has emphasised at various forums that he remains apolitical and that the EFCC is entirely structured to avoid partisan tendencies, as stated in the announcement.
Olukoyede urged the public to dismiss the allegation, stating that it exists solely in “Ibe’s imagination.”