Former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, has threatened legal action against United States-based lobbyist Karl Von Batten, also known as Ikemefuna Okeke, over a publication linking his recent petition against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to President Bola Tinubu.
Agbonayinma rejected the claim that his 14-day ultimatum to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was part of a political move by Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other political group.
The former lawmaker, who is a member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), said the use of his photograph in the publication created a misleading impression about his identity and the reason behind his petition.
He warned that he would explore legal options against those responsible for what he described as a deliberate misrepresentation of his position.
The controversy followed a petition filed by Agbonayinma through his lawyer, Hannibal Egbe Uwaifo, SAN, asking the EFCC to revisit allegations involving Atiku from the period when he served as Vice President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The petition, dated August 27, 2026, and received by the EFCC on September 1, gave the commission 14 days to act or face possible legal proceedings.
Agbonayinma had based his demand on an earlier EFCC investigation and report concerning allegations against Atiku between 2005 and 2006.
He also referred to a 2010 report by the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
The former lawmaker has maintained that his demand was not an attempt to use the EFCC against a political opponent ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
In his latest response, he said his decision was personal and motivated by his belief that allegations of financial impropriety involving public officials should be properly investigated.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I did issue a 14-day ultimatum to the EFCC, calling on the commission to reopen the corruption allegations and reports involving Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. I stand by my call for accountability and the rule of law,” he said.
He further rejected any suggestion that he was acting as an agent of Tinubu.
Agbonayinma stressed that he had not been instructed by the President or the APC to approach the anti-graft agency.
“My action was 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 stated.
The former lawmaker also insisted that the issues contained in his petition should be treated separately from the ongoing political contest between Tinubu and Atiku.
He said the matter should not be reduced to a battle between political parties or presidential camps.
“My call for the reopening of Atiku Abubakar’s corruption reports 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.
Agbonayinma also pointed to investigations previously conducted by authorities in the United States, arguing that the EFCC should independently examine the issues raised in those reports.
“Both the US senate, homeland security have conducted and concluded investigations. It is only left for the EFCC to do the right thing by prosecuting him,” Agbonayinma said.
Von Batten-Montague-York, a United States-based lobbying firm linked to Karl Von Batten, was engaged by Atiku under a reported 12-month agreement worth $1.2 million.
The firm has been involved in efforts to draw attention in the United States to records and allegations concerning Tinubu.
The firm had previously accused the Nigerian government of attempting to use law enforcement agencies against Atiku after Agbonayinma’s petition was submitted to the EFCC.
It described the 14-day demand as part of what it viewed as an effort to target Atiku ahead of the 2027 election.
The development drew a response from Nigerian officials, who rejected the claims and questioned the firm’s activities in the country’s political affairs.
Agbonayinma has now distanced himself from the narrative that his EFCC petition was sponsored by Tinubu or the APC.
He said his nationality and personal convictions were enough reasons for him to demand action from the anti-graft agency.
“I acted as a Nigerian, not as Tinubu’s representative. Let the record be clear,” he declared.
He also challenged those criticising the petition to focus on the allegations contained in it rather than his political affiliations or personality.
The former lawmaker said the EFCC should determine the merit of the allegations through its statutory responsibilities and establish whether there are sufficient grounds for further investigation or prosecution.
He maintained that submitting a petition does not amount to declaring the accused person guilty.
According to him, the responsibility to determine whether a case exists rests with the appropriate law enforcement and judicial authorities.
The dispute over the petition has already generated reactions from political figures.
Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye, a prominent member of the ADC, had criticised the move and questioned the decision to revive allegations concerning Atiku.
Melaye argued that Atiku had been subjected to investigations in the past and warned against what he described as attempts to use the EFCC to harass the former Vice President.
He also questioned Agbonayinma’s political activities and motives.
Agbonayinma subsequently challenged Melaye to produce official records showing that the allegations raised in his petition had been conclusively resolved.
The former lawmaker has maintained that if the EFCC finds no basis to proceed after examining the records, the agency should say so.
