The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, to appear for questioning over an alleged $14.86 million fraud case.

The demand came after Sylva accused the anti-graft agency of behaving like an arm of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said on Monday that Sylva should report to the commission, adding that the former governor had already been declared wanted.

“He has been declared wanted; he should make himself available to the commission,” Oyewale said.

Sylva made the accusation shortly after announcing his resignation from the APC.

In his resignation letter dated August 31 and addressed to the APC chairman in Ward 4, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Sylva said he copied the EFCC because of what he described as its growing political involvement.

He wrote that the commission had recently behaved “more as an organ of the APC than as an institution of State.”

The former governor also criticised the APC-led Federal Government, saying it had failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians. He said he could no longer remain in a party whose leaders had, in his opinion, moved away from the ideas that led to the formation of the APC.

His resignation came while the EFCC was still looking for him over an alleged financial crime.

The commission declared Sylva wanted in November 2025 over an alleged case involving conspiracy and the dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.

The EFCC said the money was part of funds given by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board to Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery. The commission alleged that Sylva was involved in the handling of the funds, but he has denied the allegations.

The EFCC has also rejected claims that its case against Sylva is politically motivated. Oyewale said in November 2025 that Sylva had been under investigation for some time and was declared wanted after he allegedly failed to honour the terms of his administrative bail.

The money case is separate from another legal matter in which Sylva has been linked to an alleged plot against President Bola Tinubu’s government.

He is listed as a defendant in a 13-count federal charge involving alleged treason, terrorism-related offences, conspiracy and money laundering. Sylva has denied any involvement and has not been convicted.

In May 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an interim order for the forfeiture of nine properties allegedly linked to Sylva following an EFCC application. The court ordered the publication of the notice so that anyone with an interest in the properties could explain why they should not be permanently forfeited.

Sylva has remained outside Nigeria amid the investigations. He left the country after details of the alleged plot became public and later put his planned return on hold following a raid on his Abuja home and the arrest of some of his associates.

The EFCC has now repeated its demand that Sylva appear before the commission for questioning. While the agency insists he must answer questions about the allegations, Sylva maintains that the actions against him are politically driven.

The allegations against him remain under investigation and are yet to be finally decided by the courts.