Former federal lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, has expressed disappointment over a petition calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to reopen and investigate alleged financial crimes involving the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, during his tenure as Nigeria’s Vice President.
DAILY POST reports that a former member of the House of Representatives, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, recently petitioned the anti-graft agency to reopen the case within 14 days.
The petitioner vowed that if, at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, the commission refuses or neglects to act, he would instruct his lawyers to take legal action against the EFCC.
In the petition, Agbonayinma alleged that sometime between 2005 and 2006, the EFCC investigated and made a report on allegations of grand corruption involving Atiku, who was then the sitting Vice President.
The petition was signed on behalf of Agbonayinma by the Principal Counsel, Hannibal Egbe Uwaifo, SAN, of Sagitarian Law Firm.
Reacting, Dino Melaye, in a video clip posted on his official X handle, described the move as shameful, stating that the petition was thrown out more than 10 years ago.
He said, “It is very shameful that an unstable character like E.J. will be writing a petition to the EFCC against Atiku Abubakar to resurrect the dead.
“A petition that was thrown out over 10 years ago is what he is trying to resurrect. What is the integrity of the commercial petitioner?
“He left APC in an elaborate press conference in Edo. Within one month, he left APC, went to ADC and then NDC, and now back to APC.
“Is that a stable character? Is that a man who can pen a petition? Of course, he is myopic and disorganised.”
Dino Melaye opposes move to reopen Atiku’s alleged financial crimes case