Dino Melaye raises alarm over alleged plot to arrest Atiku

*Invite him and see trouble’, EFCC warned

*Says they have investigated him everywhere and see nothing against him

Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against inviting former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for questioning over alleged financial crimes.

Melaye issued the warning on Thursday at the ADC All Support Groups town hall meeting in Abuja, where he criticised calls for the anti-graft agency to reopen investigations into allegations against the former vice-president.

The meeting, themed “Together we can Build the Nigeria We Desire”, focused on grassroots mobilisation, polling-unit activities, vote protection and the participation of youths, women and support groups in the party’s 2027 campaign.

Melaye said Atiku, who served as vice-president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had been investigated by various government institutions over the years without being convicted.

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

Melaye was reacting to a recent petition by former House of Representatives member Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, through his lawyer, Hannibal Uwaifo of Sagitarian Law Firm, asking the EFCC to reopen investigations into alleged financial crimes involving Atiku.

The petition gave the commission 14 days to act and referenced an EFCC investigation and report concerning Atiku between 2005 and 2006, when he was vice-president. It also cited a 2010 report by the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

Melaye, however, maintained that Atiku had already undergone several investigations during the Obasanjo administration.

“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.”

The former lawmaker warned that the ADC would resist any attempt to deploy the EFCC against Atiku for political reasons.

“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.

“Government is owned by the people. 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.”

Citing the 2011 Tunisian revolution, Melaye cautioned that Nigerians could challenge the government if they believed state institutions were being used against opposition figures.

“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,” he said.

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

Melaye also questioned the need to revisit allegations against Atiku, insisting that the former vice-president had been subjected to extensive scrutiny.

“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.

The comments came days after Atiku rejected calls for the EFCC to reopen the allegations, saying the matters had previously been examined by the commission, an administrative panel, the National Assembly and the courts.

Atiku said no court had convicted him over the allegations and challenged anyone with credible evidence against him to present it for legal scrutiny.

He also accused supporters of the Tinubu administration of revisiting old allegations to divert attention from the country’s economic and security challenges.

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