By AMECHI. P, Investigative Correspondent*
*Lagos, Nigeria — May 13, 2025*
In a nation weary of broken promises and systemic corruption, a 2019 statement by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, former National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), continues to haunt the country’s political landscape.
During a campaign rally in Benin City, Oshiomhole declared that politicians who join the APC would have their “sins” forgiven—a remark that has ignited fierce debate and cemented accusations that the party serves as a sanctuary for Nigeria’s corrupt and fraudulent elite.
As defections to the APC persist, critics argue that Oshiomhole’s words expose a troubling truth: in Nigerian politics, party loyalty can trump accountability.
A Promise of Absolution?
Oshiomhole’s comment, made in the heat of the 2019 presidential campaign, was a bombshell. At the time, the APC, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, was championing an anti-corruption crusade that promised to root out graft.
Yet, Oshiomhole, then the party’s national chairman, appeared to undermine this agenda.
Welcoming defectors from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he suggested that joining the APC would wipe clean their slate of past misdeeds. “Come to APC, and your sins are forgiven,” he reportedly told a cheering crowd, a statement that critics say revealed the party’s willingness to trade justice for political gain.
The backlash was swift. Nigerians, already disillusioned by decades of corruption, took to social media platforms like X, sharing video clips of Oshiomhole’s remarks and decrying the APC as a “haven for criminals.” “This is why corruption thrives,” one X user posted.
“Join APC, and your EFCC case disappears.” The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), tasked with prosecuting corruption, faced renewed scrutiny for allegedly stalling cases against APC loyalists while aggressively pursuing opposition figures.
A Clarification That Failed to Convince
Fast forward to May 2025, and Oshiomhole sought to douse the flames of controversy. Speaking at the 28th Founders Day of Independent Television and Radio, the senator claimed his words were misconstrued.
He said the comment was a lighthearted reference to a PDP defector named Iluobe, whose surname translates to “I do no wrong” in his local language. “I told him to live up to his name in APC,” Oshiomhole insisted, denying any blanket promise of immunity for defectors.
But Nigerians aren’t buying it. The timing of Oshiomhole’s clarification—coinciding with fresh defections, including that of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa—has only fueled skepticism. “Oshiomhole can’t rewrite history,” says political analyst Chidi Okeke.
“The APC’s track record speaks louder than his excuses.” Since 2015, when the APC rose to power, high-profile defectors like former Senate President Bukola Saraki and ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio have joined the party, only to see their EFCC investigations falter. A 2021 Sahara Reporters exposé documented this pattern, accusing the APC of sidelining corruption cases against its new recruits.
Oshiomhole’s Own Shadow
Adding fuel to the fire is Oshiomhole’s own brush with corruption allegations.
In 2018, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the EFCC to probe claims that, as Edo State governor, he amassed properties worth over N10 billion—far beyond his legitimate earnings.
The PDP even accused him of fleeing Nigeria to dodge scrutiny, a charge he vehemently denies. Though no charges have been filed, these allegations have tethered Oshiomhole to the very narrative of impunity he’s accused of enabling.
“Oshiomhole’s statement wasn’t just a gaffe; it was a window into Nigeria’s broken system,” says Aisha Mohammed, an anti-corruption activist. “When the powerful switch parties, justice takes a backseat.”
A Nation’s Trust at Stake
The implications of Oshiomhole’s remark ripple far beyond one politician’s legacy. Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight, already plagued by accusations of bias, has suffered a blow.
Public confidence in the EFCC and judiciary is at an all-time low, with many viewing them as tools of political vendetta rather than impartial institutions. On X, Nigerians vent their frustration: “APC or PDP, it’s the same game. Defect and you’re untouchable,” one user wrote.
Oshiomhole’s words have also normalized defection as a political strategy.
In Nigeria, where parties lack ideological roots, politicians hop between APC and PDP to secure power or evade prosecution. “His statement gave a green light to opportunists,” says Okeke. “It told politicians they can escape accountability by pledging allegiance.”
For Oshiomhole, a former labor leader and Edo governor, the controversy taints a storied career. Once hailed for building roads and schools in Edo, he now faces accusations of enabling a system where corruption thrives.
His tenure as APC chairman, marked by internal party strife and this infamous remark, remains a lightning rod for criticism.
A System in Need of Redemption
Oshiomhole’s “sins forgiven” comment, whether a jest or a Freudian slip, has come to symbolize Nigeria’s struggle with impunity. Both APC and PDP have been accused of shielding their own, leaving citizens caught in a cycle of distrust and disillusionment. The EFCC’s selective prosecutions—convicting some while sparing others—only deepen the wound.
As Nigeria grapples with economic hardship and governance failures, the demand for accountability grows louder. For meaningful change, experts say, the country needs independent institutions, impartial justice, and a political culture that values principle over expediency.
Until then, Oshiomhole’s words will echo as a stark reminder of a system where the powerful can confess their sins—and walk free.
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