A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and former National Vice Chairman, the South South of the party, Ntufam Hilliard Eta has called for the investigation of former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Congress, ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar over cases of accountability and corruption.
Eta said Nigeria cannot build a credible democracy if accountability is applied selectively. Public office must never become a shield against scrutiny, and political ambition must never become a reason for institutions to look away from credible allegations.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Governing Board Chairman made this known on Tuesday during a press conference at the party National Secretariat, Abuja, saying, “I have called this press conference today because there are moments in the life of a nation when political considerations must give way to a higher principle and accountability.
“I am calling on the appropriate law enforcement and anti-corruption authorities to fully investigate the allegations and petitions concerning former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and, where the evidence establishes criminal offences, prosecute him in accordance with Nigerian law.
“Let me be absolutely clear; I am not asking anybody to convict Atiku Abubakar in the court of public opinion. I am asking that the evidence be subjected to the court of law,” he said.
In the text titled ‘The Case For Accountability: Why the Allegations Against Atiku Abubakar Must Be Fully Investigated’, Ntufam Eta sited a recent petition submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),cited calling for the reopening of financial-crime allegations concerning Atiku dating back to investigations conducted around 2005-2006. The petition was reportedly received by the EFCC on September 1, 2026.
He said there have also been renewed discussions around a 2010 United States Senate report concerning suspicious financial transactions associated with individuals connected to Atiku. But we must be intellectually honest; that report is not a criminal conviction, and it did not itself result in criminal charges against him.
“However, the allegations contained in these records and subsequent petitions are sufficiently serious to warrant proper examination by the competent Nigerian authorities.”
He noted that for the avoidance of doubt, Nigerians deserve to know precisely what has been alleged rather than dealing with vague political accusations.
“There were allegations concerning movement of more than US$40 million in suspect funds into the United States between 2000 and 2008 through offshore corporations and accounts associated with Jennifer Douglas, Atiku Abubakar’s wife.
“The U.S. Senate investigation examined transfers involving entities including LetsGo Ltd., Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Ltd. and Sima Holding Ltd. According to the Senate report, more than half of the funds, approximately US$25 million; were transferred by offshore corporations into U.S. bank accounts opened by Douglas (Homeland Security Committee, 2010).
“The U.S. Senate report examined allegations involving payments connected to Siemens AG. The report stated that Douglas received at least US$1.7 million in alleged bribe payments connected to Siemens, while the SEC civil complaint had alleged US$2.8 million in bribe payments to her from Siemens.
“These are allegations and findings contained in historical records and must not be presented as a criminal conviction against Atiku, (Homeland Security Committee 2010).
“There were also questions concerning approximately US$14 million transferred by offshore corporations to American University in connection with consulting services relating to the establishment of the university in Nigeria.
“The Senate report examined the source and movement of those funds and the relationship between the offshore entities and the university project founded by Atiku, (Homeland Security Committee 2010).
“There were allegations in Nigeria concerning the use of companies and bank accounts as so-called Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to divert or misappropriate public funds during the period Atiku served as Vice-President between 1999 and 2007.
“These allegations became particularly prominent in 2023 following claims attributed to Michael Achimugu, described as a former aide to Atiku. A subsequent petition by Festus Keyamo asked the EFCC, ICPC and CCB to investigate the allegations (TheCable, 2023).
“The 2023 petition raised allegations bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation, conspiracy and possible violations of the Code of Conduct applicable to public officers. These were allegations presented to law-enforcement authorities, not findings of guilt by a court (Punch, 2023).
“Questions were raised concerning Atiku’s alleged knowledge of certain accounts, including an account associated with Marine Float and accounts belonging to other companies, which were alleged to have been used as vehicles for the movement or diversion of public funds. The allegations formed part of the case brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja in 2023.
“These are not allegations that I am presenting as proven facts. They are matters that have appeared in official investigations, petitions, court filings and public records and which, in my view, deserve to be subjected to the full machinery of law,” the former APC NWC member stated.
He, therefore, called for direct process rather than political speculations, pointing that if there is no case against the former Vice President, Abubkar, the appropriate institution should say so after examining the evidence, but if there is sufficient evidence, let Nigerians be told.
“But if credible evidence establishes that offences were committed, then the law must take its course in the country, as no politician should be above the law,” he added.
Ntufam Eta, therefore, called on the EFCC and other competent authorities to examine every credible petition, obtain the relevant records, invite the appropriate persons, follow up where necessary, and establish the facts without fear or favour.
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