The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended the inclusion of individuals under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in political campaign structures, arguing that being under probe does not strip anyone of the right to canvass votes.

Wike made the remarks during a media parley he hosted on Wednesday, which was aired on Channels Television, amid controversy surrounding the appointment of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, to President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign structure.

The former Rivers State governor questioned what he described as inconsistencies in the public scrutiny of politicians and campaign officials, maintaining that an EFCC investigation alone could not prevent someone from participating in political activities.

“You (media) were asking the moral justification of putting someone who has an EFCC case to be in a campaign council. And I was just watching the lady. The lady doesn’t even know what to say,” Wike said.

He argued that Nigerians had seen people facing more serious legal challenges contest elections and emerge victorious.

“Now, somebody cannot be in a campaign to canvass for votes for a particular person, but somebody who has an EFCC case can contest an election and win an election?”

Wike said there were previous instances in which individuals already facing criminal charges had gone ahead to contest elective offices.

“This person had an EFCC case in court, charged to court. He contested an election and became a Governor,” he said without mentioning any name.

Taking his argument further, the FCT minister said even a person serving a prison sentence could still express political preferences and encourage others to support a candidate.

“Listen. Even a prisoner… maybe they have somebody in prison. I go and visit the person. The person can tell me, ‘My brother, I want you to support so-and-so candidate.’ A prisoner has canvassed for vote.”

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Wike also referred to an unnamed individual alleged to have been connected with a coup plot, arguing that allegations or investigations had not stopped people from participating in political activities.

“I was watching, when Channels, when Sunrise, who came up to say, ‘Ah, how can somebody who’s being looked for as a coup plotter is now canvassing for votes for so-and-so government?’ Somebody EFCC is looking for is now canvassing for votes for so-and-so person.

“But… a party, or a candidate cannot, simply because EFCC is investigating the person, cannot be a member of the campaign council to campaign for votes.”

His comments come after criticism greeted the inclusion of Edu in the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Edu was named Director of Women Mobilisation in the campaign structure despite her suspension from office by President Tinubu in January 2024 following allegations of financial impropriety.

She was subsequently investigated by the EFCC, although she has not been publicly declared guilty of any offence in connection with the investigation.

Earlier, an APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson, Kemi Asekun-Shittu, had also defended Edu’s inclusion, insisting that the former minister could not be denied her political rights simply because an investigation was still ongoing.

“I’d like to say that for Betta Edu, for example, she has not been found guilty. And it will be unfair to ask that she leaves her life or refuses to live her life until the EFCC declares her. We believe that there is very likely the issue that she may not be found guilty.

“But besides that, we also know that with politics, every Nigerian is allowed to be a politician if they choose to. And we do not believe that we should then hold her life still or keep her stagnant until the case is decided. It’s been almost two years of that case.

“She does deserve an opportunity to present herself again for the party,” she said.

Asekun-Shittu further maintained that decisions about membership of the campaign council remained an internal matter for the ruling party, adding that the structure was not yet final and could still be adjusted.

With Wike now weighing in on the controversy, the debate over Edu’s place in Tinubu’s campaign team is likely to continue, particularly as political activities and preparations for the 2027 presidential election gather momentum.

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