Our Reporter, Abuja
Human rights lawyer and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, has criticised Nigerian opposition leaders for what he described as selective outrage, accusing them of prioritising personal political interests over the worsening insecurity in the country.
Odinkalu’s remarks followed a joint statement issued on December 14, 2025, by leading opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi. In the statement, the opposition leaders accused the Federal Government of politicising anti-corruption agencies and engaging in selective prosecutions to weaken political opponents ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting on Tuesday via his X account, Odinkalu faulted the opposition leaders for focusing on alleged misuse of anti-corruption institutions only when they are directly affected, while remaining largely silent on persistent abductions and killings of Nigerians across thecountry.
“#Nigeria’s #OppositionLeaders, so-called, are now issuing joint statement on corruption prosecutions because they’re affected,” Odinkalu wrote.
“Apparently, they’ve not noticed that #Nigerians are being abducted & killed agriculturally. That one does not affect them. They’re all the same!”
The opposition leaders’ joint statement warned of what it described as a growing pattern of selective prosecutions, alleging that state institutions meant to fight corruption are being deployed as political tools to intimidate and neutralise opposition figures in the build-up to the next general election.
However, Odinkalu’s intervention has reignited debate over the priorities of Nigeria’s political class, particularly amid continued reports of general insecurity nationwide.
Odinkalu, a long-standing advocate for accountability and human rights, suggested that the opposition’s failure to jointly confront the security crisis undermines their moral authority.
