The former lawmaker challenged Atiku’s lawyers over a petition to the EFCC

Former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, has challenged Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s legal team to address the issues raised in his petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He stated that rather than attributing his intervention to political motives, the facts should be revealed, as he wanted the truth to come out.

He spoke in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, in which he also threatened legal action against Karl Von Batten, also known as Ikemefuna Okeke, over X’s posts which he described as misleading, and insisted that his petition to the EFCC was not politically motivated.

The former lawmaker said the publication created a false impression about his identity, motives and involvement in the matter, and warned that he would consider legal action over what he described as a misrepresentation of his position.

Agbonayinma, a member of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Nigerian citizen and United States citizen, blamed the use of his photo in a publication linking his 14-day ultimatum to the EFCC to President Bola Tinubu, rejecting suggestions that he was acting on behalf of the president, the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any political interests.

He stressed that his demand for the reopening of corruption allegations and reports involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was a personal initiative undertaken in the interest of accountability and the rule of law.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I issued a 14-day ultimatum to the EFCC, asking the commission to reopen the allegations and reports of corruption involving Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. I stand by my call for accountability and the rule of law,” he said.

The former lawmaker however denied any links with Tinubu or the APC in relation to the petition, stressing that he was not acting on behalf of the president or pursuing the interests of any political party.

“My actions were entirely personal, undertaken in my capacity as a Nigerian citizen who believes that allegations of financial impropriety involving public office holders deserve proper investigation,” he said.

“Both the US senate, internal security have conducted and completed investigations. It remains for the EFCC to do the right thing by prosecuting him,” Agbonayinma said.

He argued that the issues raised in his petition should not be reduced to partisan politics, and stressed that allegations against public figures must be credibly investigated regardless of their political affiliation.

“My call to reopen the Atiku Abubakar corruption report is not about Tinubu, APC, PDP, ADC, NDC or any political party. It is about accountability, transparency and the principle that no individual should be above the law,” he added.

He urged the EFCC to determine the basis of the allegations through a transparent process, and stressed that the authorities must determine whether there are grounds for further investigation.

Agbonayinma warned that the use of his photo to advance what he considered a misleading narrative would not be taken lightly, adding that he was prepared to take legal action against those responsible for its publication.

Reiterating his position, he said his intervention was driven by the need to promote accountability without fear or favor, regardless of political considerations.

“I am acting as a Nigerian, not as Tinubu’s representative. Let the record be clear,” he said.