Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has warned the Federal Government not to invite, jail, or interrogate African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar over a corruption suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Melaye stated that if Atiku was invited or detained over what he called a frivolous petition, the ADC would demonstrate that Nigerians were more than those in government.
He mentioned this in a video posted to his X account on Friday.
“This is our note of warning: if due to this frivolous petition you invite, arrest, or interview Atiku Abubakar, and we are not saying it with fear or favor, we will prove to you that those in government are less than one percent of the population of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We will prove to you that the people own government,” Melaye said.
His statements came in response to a petition submitted to the EFCC by former House of Representatives member Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, who asked the anti-graft agency to reopen corruption charges against Atiku dating back to his time as vice president.
The appeal, submitted on Agbonayinma’s behalf by his lawyer, Hannibal Uwaifo, SAN, reportedly referred to an earlier EFCC inquiry and report on allegations against Atiku.
The charges extend back to 2005 and 2006, when the EFCC and an administrative panel looked into claims of abuse of office, money laundering, and alleged diversion of monies from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund.
Atiku, who was vice president at the time, denied misconduct and called the allegations politically motivated.
On December 20, 2006, the Lagos State High Court dismissed the EFCC’s administrative indictment against Atiku, calling it illegal and faulty.
The allegations did not lead to any criminal convictions.
The renewed petition comes as Atiku prepares to run in the 2027 presidential election for the ADC, while opposition leaders attempt to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress.
Melaye, a staunch supporter of Atiku and the ADC, stated that the opposition will oppose any attempt to use the petition to harm the former vice president.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no confirmed indication that the anti-graft agency had invited or arrested Atiku over the petition.
