Presidency Fires Back at Atiku Over US Petition

The Presidency has launched a strong criticism against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over reports that he engaged a United States lobbying firm to petition American authorities regarding President Bola Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case, describing the move as an attempt to drag Nigeria’s domestic politics abroad.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused Atiku of submitting petitions to US President Donald Trump, the US State Department and members of Congress over a matter the Presidency said had already been resolved more than three decades ago.

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Onanuga argued that the 1993 civil forfeiture matter did not result in any criminal conviction or finding of guilt against President Tinubu, insisting that attempts to revive the issue were politically motivated and aimed at damaging the President’s image.

The presidential aide accused the former Vice President of undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty by seeking the intervention of foreign officials in a matter involving the country’s elected leader, saying such actions were unbecoming of a statesman.

The Presidency also alleged that a Washington based lobbying firm linked to Atiku had been hired to circulate documents relating to the Tinubu case among officials in the US government and Congress, with reports claiming the engagement was valued at about $1.2 million.

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The renewed controversy centres on a 1993 US civil forfeiture case involving funds connected to accounts that American authorities had linked to narcotics proceeds, although Nigerian courts have previously held that the matter was a civil forfeiture issue and not evidence of a criminal conviction against Tinubu.

Atiku, who contested against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, has continued to raise questions about issues surrounding the President’s background, while his supporters argue that public officials should be subjected to transparency and accountability.

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The latest exchange has intensified political tensions ahead of the 2027 election cycle, with the Tinubu administration and opposition figures increasingly trading accusations over issues of credibility, governance and national leadership.

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