By Francis Ajuonuma
The Ndigbo for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu 2027 Forum (NDI-ABAT) has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to reopen scrutiny of corruption allegations involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying he should face prosecution if credible evidence establishes a case to answer.
The group said political status or past public office should not shield anyone from investigation, insisting that the anti-graft agency must subject the allegations and supporting documents to impartial scrutiny.
The position was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the National Coordinator of NDI-ABAT, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and the Secretary-General, Dr Ugwuoke Ugwuoke Jr, who urged the EFCC to review materials from earlier investigations alongside a fresh petition reportedly submitted by former House of Representatives member, Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma.
NDI-ABAT said the EFCC should examine the allegations, including materials referenced in the petition and reported findings of the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, without political interference.
The forum cautioned against interpreting the call for investigation as political persecution, stressing that accountability must be pursued through due process and established legal procedures.
It said that where credible evidence supported criminal proceedings, the appropriate authorities should act, while anyone under investigation must retain the presumption of innocence and be allowed to respond to the allegations.
“Let the evidence be examined, let due process prevail, and let justice take its proper course,” the group said.
NDI-ABAT also urged the EFCC not to be distracted by reactions from opposition parties and their supporters, arguing that the credibility of an investigation should be determined by the evidence and the independence of the investigating authority.
“The legitimacy of an investigation must be determined by the credibility of the evidence, the independence of the investigating authorities, and strict adherence to established legal procedures—not by the political standing of the individual concerned,” the statement said.
The group called on the EFCC to clarify the status of the allegations and assess the materials contained in the fresh petition.
It said if the evidence warranted prosecution, the case should proceed through the appropriate judicial process, but if the allegations could not be substantiated, the commission should equally state its position clearly.
According to NDI-ABAT, such transparency would strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions and demonstrate that accountability applies equally to citizens irrespective of political affiliation or status.
The forum maintained that public office should not become a shield against legitimate scrutiny, just as political prominence should not confer immunity from the law.
“Our position is unequivocal: Atiku Abubakar is not above the law, just as no other Nigerian is,” NDI-ABAT said.
It urged the EFCC to handle the matter professionally and transparently, insisting that the outcome should be determined by facts, evidence and the law rather than political considerations.
