The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has berated President Bola Tinubu for appointing individuals with unresolved corruption cases to his campaign council, describing the presidential campaign council as a rehabilitation centre for corruption-tainted and dubious politicians.

“We have taken note of the composition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 campaign council. What should ordinarily be a political task team ends up looking like a rehabilitation system for individuals carrying unresolved questions of corruption and public accountability,” a statement by the ADC’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said on Saturday.

Referring to the appointments of two women, Ngozi Olejeme and Betta Edu, the former humanitarian affairs minister who was fingered in unresolved corruption cases, the opposition party condemned Mr Tinubu’s tolerant posture towards corruption.

“We note, especially the inclusion of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu, who was suspended by President Tinubu following the controversy surrounding the attempted transfer of N585 million into a private account, as well as former NSITF chairman Ngozi Olejeme, who has faced EFCC prosecution over allegations of financial malpractices, among others whose names carry a pungent odour of corruption,” the statement said.

It added, “One important question that the inclusion of these individuals provokes is what happened to the cases involving these individuals.”

According to the ADC, it has become a familiar pattern under this administration for investigations into financial crimes to quietly disappear, only for the accused to suddenly reappear in different official roles.

“Under this government, corruption allegations increasingly appear to have an expiry date. Once a person becomes politically useful enough, yesterday’s questions apparently no longer require today’s answers,” the statement said.

The ADC argued that the 2027 election will be a referendum on Mr Tinubu’s record.

The party said the president may assemble his old friends and political allies, including those carrying unresolved corruption questions, but all of their collective brooms cannot sweep away the grave pains they have brought on the Nigerian people. 

It added that they cannot campaign away the cost-of-living crisis or the endemic poverty that their bad policies have created.

On Saturday, Peoples Gazette reported that Mr Tinubu appointed the duo of Ms Olejeme and Ms Edu, two women with unresolved corruption scandals, as members of his 2027 campaign council for his re-election bid.

While Ms Olejeme, a former Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund chairperson who is facing trial over an alleged N1 billion fraud, will serve as zonal director for election planning and coordination in the South-South geopolitical region, Ms Edu, who was suspended and replaced in the cabinet following public outcry and allegations bordering on the transfer of N585 million in public funds into a private account, will serve as director of women mobilisation in Mr Tinubu’s 2027 campaign council.