The Presidency has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of spending $1.2 million (about N1.6 billion) on American lobbyists to petition US President Donald Trump and members of the US Congress against President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, alleged that Atiku’s lobbying group submitted petitions to President Trump and the US State Department over a 1993 civil forfeiture case involving Tinubu.
Onanuga described the move as an attempt to internationalise Nigeria’s domestic politics, saying, “Reporting the President of Nigeria to another country’s leader is not only inappropriate but also undermines the nation’s dignity and independence.”
The presidential aide insisted the matter had been resolved more than 30 years ago and settled politically through Tinubu’s election and legally by the Supreme Court, adding that Atiku’s latest efforts “would amount to nought.”
He also challenged Atiku to explain his own legal history in the United States, citing his alleged links to the William Jefferson bribery scandal and a 2010 US Senate report on foreign corruption.
Onanuga further accused the former vice president of seeking the presidency to secure diplomatic immunity and evade potential legal issues abroad. He said President Tinubu remained focused on his administration’s economic and security agenda, dismissing Atiku’s actions as “political theatrics” that would not distract the government.
