Presidency slams Atiku over reported move to lobby Trump against Tinubu
The Presidency has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of attempting to internationalise Nigeria’s domestic politics following reports that his lobbyists in the United States submitted petitions to President Donald Trump and the US State Department concerning President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the move as inappropriate, insisting that the issues raised against Tinubu had long been resolved.
“It is important to remind Atiku and his associates that Nigeria is a sovereign nation, not a satellite of any foreign power. Reporting the President of Nigeria to another country’s leader is not only inappropriate but also undermines the nation’s dignity and independence,” Onanuga said.
According to him, the petitions relate to a 1993 civil forfeiture case in the United States involving Tinubu, which he said “was resolved over 30 years ago” and did not result in any criminal conviction or finding of guilt.
“This issue was resolved over 30 years ago in the United States and has been thoroughly litigated, explained, and rendered moot by the electoral mandates conferred on President Bola Tinubu by the people of Lagos and Nigeria at large,” he said.
The presidential aide argued that the matter had already been addressed during the 2023 election and through the judicial process.
“While lobbying is a legitimate part of American politics, employing paid foreign agents to peddle discredited documents against a sitting Nigerian President is not advocacy—it is an attempt to externalise domestic politics and undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty. Nigerians resolved this matter at the ballot in February 2023 and in the Supreme Court,” the statement added.
Onanuga also called on Atiku to explain allegations contained in a 2010 United States Senate investigative report on foreign corruption, which mentioned the former vice-president in relation to financial transactions involving offshore companies.
