The Federal Government has dismissed as outright fiction, a document circulating online that alleges a secret plot to clamp down on opposition figures ahead of the 2027 elections.
Labelled ADP4VIP—short for Arrest, Detain, Prosecute for Very Important Persons—the document claims a covert, multi-agency task force has been set up to target political opponents. The government says the story is entirely made up.
“No Such Programme Exists”
In unequivocal terms, the Tinubu administration said there is no programme called ADP4VIP and no clandestine task force involving the EFCC, ICPC, NFIU or the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Officials described the document as a calculated piece of disinformation, designed to provoke fear and distrust while masquerading as insider intelligence.
Opposition ‘Victimhood’ Meets Government Rebuttal
The fake memo alleges a systematic plan to weaken opposition political activity, with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), singled out as a key target. The government rejected this as political theatre, warning against attempts to frame lawful accountability as persecution.
According to the statement, such narratives are a smokescreen to shield politically exposed individuals from facing anti-corruption agencies.
Governance, Not Witch-Hunting
The Federal Government stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is focused on governance priorities—not political vendettas.
Economic reforms, tackling insecurity, expanding trade opportunities and restoring investor confidence, it said, remain the government’s central preoccupation.
Constitution Still the Supreme Law
Reaffirming its democratic stance, the government cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association and political participation.
President Tinubu, it noted, took an oath to uphold these rights and remains committed to the rule of law, due process and the independence of Nigeria’s institutions.
Agencies Must Do Their Jobs
The statement underlined that Nigeria’s security and anti-corruption agencies are constitutionally empowered to operate without political interference.
“No individual or group,” it said in effect, “is immune from lawful investigation simply by virtue of political status.”
2027 Looms, Fake News Follows
With the next general elections approaching, the government warned Nigerians to expect a rise in fabricated narratives, political blackmail and misinformation deployed as tools of relevance.
Citizens were urged to stay vigilant and reject what the government described as the politics of distortion and division.
‘We Will Not Be Distracted’
As 2025 draws to a close, the Tinubu administration made its closing position clear: it will not be pulled into endless politicking.
“Nigerians deserve continuity, progress and results,” the statement said—and that, it insisted, remains the government’s sole focus.
