A former member of the House of Representatives, Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to reopen alleged corruption cases involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, warning that he may seek legal redress if the agency fails to act.
Agbonayinma, who represented the Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency and is a member of the All Progressives Congress, based his demand on an alleged 2006 EFCC investigation and a subsequent report by a United States Senate investigative committee.
The former lawmaker made the demand in a letter dated August 27 and addressed to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede through his lawyer, Hannibal Egbe Uwaifo.
Former Lawmaker Cites 2006 EFCC Report
According to Agbonayinma, the EFCC investigated allegations involving Atiku while he was vice president between 2005 and 2006.
He referred to a document identified as the “EFCC Report on Vice-President Abubakar Atiku”, dated September 2006, and alleged that the investigation raised questions concerning corruption, money laundering and other financial offences.
Agbonayinma argued that Atiku’s position at the time created constitutional limitations on prosecution, but maintained that those restrictions no longer apply now that he is a private citizen.
He criticised the EFCC for what he described as a failure to pursue the matter after Atiku left office.
The former lawmaker said reopening the case would demonstrate that the country’s anti-corruption institutions are prepared to investigate prominent political figures regardless of their status.
US Investigation Also Cited
Agbonayinma also pointed to a February 4, 2010 report associated with the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations under the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
He claimed that the report contained allegations relating to Atiku and financial crimes.
The petitioner urged the EFCC to revisit both documents and, where appropriate, commence prosecution.
He gave the commission 14 days to act, according to the letter, warning that his legal representatives had instructions to pursue court action against the agency if it failed to respond.
Agbonayinma nevertheless praised the EFCC for prosecuting other corruption cases, arguing that action in the Atiku matter would strengthen public confidence in the agency’s independence.
Atiku Fires Back
Atiku has rejected the renewed demand for his prosecution.
Responding through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president described the allegations as old claims being revived for political purposes.
Atiku argued that the allegations had already been examined through several institutions during the political disputes of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
He maintained that despite investigations and proceedings at different levels, no court convicted him over the allegations.
The former vice president questioned why claims dating back roughly two decades were resurfacing in 2026, particularly at a time when Nigerians are confronting economic difficulties.
Atiku Turns Scrutiny Back on Tinubu
Atiku also challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make records concerning allegations against him publicly available.
He referred to a separate U.S. legal matter involving efforts to obtain records from American law-enforcement agencies and argued that political leaders should be equally willing to face scrutiny.
Atiku’s position was that anyone possessing credible evidence of wrongdoing should present it to the appropriate authorities rather than rely on political accusations.
He also drew a distinction between an allegation, an investigative report and a court conviction, arguing that the existence of a petition or historical report does not by itself establish criminal guilt.
2027 Politics Looms Over Dispute
The latest exchange comes as Nigeria’s major political actors position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Atiku now associated with the African Democratic Congress.
The former vice president said the renewed focus on historical allegations was distracting from what he described as more immediate concerns facing Nigerians, including the cost of food, transportation, housing, electricity, healthcare and education.
He argued that voters would ultimately judge political leaders by their records in office and the conditions in which Nigerians live.
The EFCC has yet to publicly announce whether it will reopen the matter or take any action based on Agbonayinma’s petition.
For now, the dispute remains a clash of competing claims: Agbonayinma is demanding a fresh investigation and possible prosecution, while Atiku maintains that the allegations have been repeatedly examined without producing a conviction.