Prisoner, EFCC Suspect Can Campaign for Votes – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended the decision to include former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, in President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 campaign structure despite her ongoing Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigation.

Wike made his position known on Wednesday during a media parley in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which was broadcast by Channels Television.

The former Rivers State governor argued that an investigation by the EFCC does not automatically prevent an individual from participating in political activities or campaigning for a candidate.

His comments followed public criticism over Edu’s appointment as Director of Women Mobilisation in the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Edu was suspended by President Tinubu in January 2024 following allegations of financial misconduct and was later investigated by the EFCC. However, she has not been publicly found guilty of any offence arising from the investigation.

Wike questioned why someone facing an EFCC investigation should be prevented from campaigning when people who have faced criminal cases have previously participated in elections and even won political offices.

The minister also referred to people who are serving prison terms, arguing that imprisonment does not necessarily prevent an individual from expressing political support for a candidate or encouraging others to vote for that person.

He further mentioned an unnamed individual accused of involvement in a coup plot, saying such a person had also been reported to have campaigned for a political candidate.

Wike used the examples to question what he described as inconsistent standards in judging people involved in political campaigns.

The controversy over Edu’s inclusion in Tinubu’s campaign team had earlier drawn a defence from an APC campaign council spokesperson, Kemi Asekun-Shittu.

Asekun-Shittu said Edu had not been convicted of any offence and argued that she should not be prevented from pursuing political activities while waiting for the conclusion of the EFCC process.

She also described the campaign council as an internal party arrangement, saying the APC had the authority to determine who would participate in its campaign activities.

The spokesperson, however, noted that the campaign council’s list was not necessarily final and could still be reviewed.

Edu served as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation before her suspension in 2024. Her involvement in the 2027 campaign has now become a subject of debate over whether individuals under investigation should be allowed to hold positions in political campaign structures.

Wike maintained that being investigated, without a conviction, should not by itself remove a person’s right to participate in political mobilisation.