A political sociologist and professor of Government Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, Steven Wordu, has criticised Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing it of becoming a partisan tool in the hands of politicians. He also condemned the state of party politics in Nigeria and described the political atmosphere in Rivers State as a case of “state capture.”
In an interview with The Guardian, Prof. Wordu said the recent wave of defections by politicians, especially in Delta and Edo states, is motivated by a desire to evade prosecution for corruption. According to him, anti-corruption efforts have been weaponised by successive administrations, with the EFCC being used to harass and intimidate opposition figures into joining the ruling party.
“Since former President Muhammadu Buhari’s era, the anti-corruption battle has been used to force politicians to defect. Once they join the ruling party, all charges disappear. This is not ideological defection; it’s cowardly and corrupt,” he stated.
Wordu accused the EFCC of having lost its independence, saying the agency now aligns itself with whoever is in power. “The EFCC cannot bite. The whole sanity around setting up that body has collapsed,” he said.
He added that the country lacks a true opposition, describing both the APC and PDP as indistinguishable political formations serving elite interests. “There is no opposition party in Nigeria. There are only parties that did not win elections,” Wordu remarked. “What we see are politicians driven by greed, not service.”
According to him, the only hope for reform lies in a new generation of politically conscious citizens—intellectuals, academics, and media professionals—who can shape a new national agenda. But he admitted this would be a difficult transformation to achieve.
On the crisis in Rivers State, Wordu criticised the Senate’s recent decision to set up a committee to monitor the state’s sole administrator, saying it came too late and served no purpose. “If Rivers is peaceful now, why set up a committee?” he asked, noting that reports of violence and sabotage in the state remain unsubstantiated.
He also accused the current administrator of provoking unrest through undemocratic actions. “He is only fanning protests so he can justify staying longer in office,” Wordu alleged.
Speaking on the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Wordu said the political standoff between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, is a classic case of state capture. “What Wike is trying to do is maintain control of Rivers through Fubara, who has now resisted that control,” he said. He warned that this kind of political domination could escalate into violence or even assassination, recalling past political killings in the state.
Wordu said Fubara’s recent statement that he is not desperate to return to Government House should be seen as resistance to unacceptable conditions. “His speech suggests he won’t succumb to intimidation,” he said. “Though it may deflate some of his followers, those with democratic ideals will stand firm.”
He further urged President Bola Tinubu to uphold democratic values by reversing the “unconstitutional” suspension of Fubara. “This is not about Fubara; it’s about justice for the people of Rivers. If the President truly believes in democracy, he must act now,” Wordu said.
