The Presidency has criticised former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over reports that he petitioned United States President Donald Trump and the US Congress regarding President Bola Tinubu’s past civil forfeiture case in the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday and titled “When Will Atiku Abubakar Report Himself to President Trump?”, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Atiku’s reported action as unbecoming of a statesman.
According to the Presidency, the former vice president, through a lobbying group in the US, submitted petitions to President Trump and the US State Department over Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case, insisting that the matter was resolved more than three decades ago and did not result in any criminal conviction or finding of guilt.
The Presidency said it was surprising that a politician who has pursued Nigeria’s presidency for over 30 years would seek the intervention of a foreign government in what it described as a settled domestic issue.
It argued that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and that taking political disputes to foreign leaders undermines the country’s dignity and independence.
While acknowledging that lobbying is a legitimate aspect of American politics, the Presidency maintained that hiring foreign lobbyists to revive allegations previously addressed during the 2023 presidential election and affirmed by the Supreme Court amounts to an attempt to internationalise Nigeria’s internal politics.
The statement further alleged that Atiku spent about $1.2 million on lobbying efforts in the United States and challenged him to explain his own legal history in the country.
The Presidency also revived allegations linking the former vice president to the William Jefferson bribery scandal and referenced a 2010 US Senate investigative report on foreign corruption, claiming Atiku and his former wife, Jennifer Douglas, were subjects of the investigation.
It further accused Atiku of overseeing a flawed privatisation programme during his tenure as vice president, alleging that national assets were sold below value to associates, leading to widespread job losses and unpaid entitlements.
The statement concluded that President Tinubu remains focused on implementing his Renewed Hope Agenda, including economic reforms, investment attraction, national security, and governance, insisting that he would not be distracted by what it described as Atiku’s political campaigns abroad.
Comments