Melaye to EFCC: Invite Atiku, face trouble

Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against inviting African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for questioning over alleged financial crimes.

Melaye said the ADC and its supporters would resist any attempt to use the anti-graft agency to intimidate or harass Atiku ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

He spoke on Thursday at the ADC All Support Groups town hall meeting in Abuja, held to discuss grassroots mobilisation, vote protection and the participation of youths, women and support groups in the party’s campaign.

The former lawmaker was reacting to a petition by former House of Representatives member Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, who asked the EFCC to reopen investigations into allegations involving Atiku.

Agbonayinma, through his lawyer, Hannibal Uwaifo of Sagitarian Law Firm, gave the commission 14 days to act on the request. The petition cited an EFCC investigation and report concerning Atiku between 2005 and 2006, when he served as vice-president.

It also referenced a 2010 report by the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which allegedly contained accusations of money laundering and other financial crimes involving the former vice-president.

Melaye, however, argued that Atiku had already undergone extensive investigations by government authorities.

“Atiku was part of the government that created the EFCC. You cannot use the EFCC to torment the creator of the EFCC,” he said.

He claimed that the former vice-president had been investigated repeatedly during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo without being convicted.

“I, as Dino Melaye, I am aware that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar have been investigated by Olusegun Obasanjo and the federal government time and time and time and time again,” he said.

“In fact, federal government versus Atiku Abubakar, 13 cases. And Atiku Abubakar won all the 13 cases.”

Melaye warned that any move by the EFCC to invite, arrest or question Atiku over the allegations could trigger a strong political response from the ADC.

“My note of warning is this. And this note of warning is straight to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That the day EFCC invites Atiku Abubakar before election, then Tinubu will know that government is not owned by those in government,” he said.

“Any day, due to these frivolous petitions, you invite, arrest or interview Atiku Abubakar, and we are not saying it with fear or favour; we mean it. Invite Atiku and see trouble.”

The former senator also warned against what he described as the use of state institutions against opposition figures, citing the 2011 uprising in Tunisia as an example.

“We will tell you that what happened in Tunisia can happen in Nigeria. We will prove to you that those in government are less than one percent of the population of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Melaye said.

“We will prove to you that the people own government. Government is not owned by those in government.”

He further dismissed the need for fresh investigations, saying Atiku had been subjected to scrutiny by several institutions.

“They have investigated Atiku everywhere. The only thing they are yet to find out about Atiku is where his placenta was buried. They have done everything,” he said.

Atiku had also rejected calls for the EFCC to reopen the allegations, arguing that the issues had previously been examined by the commission, an administrative panel, the National Assembly and the courts.

The former vice-president said no court had convicted him over the allegations and challenged anyone with credible evidence to present it for legal scrutiny.

He also accused supporters of President Bola Tinubu of reviving old allegations to divert attention from Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.

The EFCC has yet to publicly state whether it will act on Agbonayinma’s petition.