NATIONAL INTEREST COALITION (NICO) WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE TO PASS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

Defending the Anti-Corruption Crusade: NICO’s Rallying Cry at the World Press Conference

In a charged atmosphere of political intrigue and public scrutiny, the National Interest Coalition (NICO) recently, convened a world press conference in Abuja that reverberated across Nigeria’s political landscape.

The event, held as part of a solidarity march, was not merely ceremonial, it was a strategic declaration of allegiance to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and a resounding vote of confidence in the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), chaired by Olanipekun Olukoyede.

Comrade Bashir Abdu, the coalition’s leader, took center stage with a bold exposé: a ₦5 billion smear campaign allegedly orchestrated by embattled government officials facing corruption charges. 

According to NICO, these individuals are deploying stolen public funds to sponsor hostile media narratives aimed at discrediting both the EFCC and the President’s anti-corruption agenda. The group claimed that secret meetings had been held in Dubai, where offshore accounts were used to funnel resources into this propaganda war.

The press conference was more than a denunciation, it was a call to arms. Abdu revealed that NICO had been offered ₦100 million to join the conspiracy but refused, standing firm in its commitment to transparency and justice.

Thousands of Nigerians joined the march, chanting slogans of support and affirming their trust in the current administration’s reforms. Among the achievements highlighted were the strengthening of criminal justice processes, recovery of stolen assets, and the empowerment of anti-graft agencies to operate independently.

NICO’s message was clear: the attacks on Olukoyede and the EFCC are not isolated, they are direct assaults on Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the aspirations of millions of Nigerians yearning for a government that serves the people, not the corrupt elite.

The coalition urged the President to remain undeterred, warning that corruption is “fighting back” through orchestrated misinformation and selective outrage.

In a political climate often clouded by cynicism and maneuvering, NICO’s press conference stood out as a moment of clarity, a declaration that the battle against corruption is far from over, and that civil society remains a vigilant force in safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic integrity.