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Presidency

The Presidency on Thursday criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over what it described as attempts to “report” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to United States President Donald Trump, calling the move inappropriate and a slight on Nigeria’s sovereignty.

In a State House press statement, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Atiku’s actions, including engaging lobbyists in the United States, undermined the dignity and independence of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.

Onanuga expressed concern that the former presidential candidate had allegedly submitted petitions through a lobbying group to the US President and the State Department over a decades-old civil forfeiture case involving Tinubu, which he said had long been resolved without any criminal conviction.

“It is baffling and disappointing that someone who has sought the presidency for over three decades now resorts to reporting the President of Nigeria to a foreign leader,” Onanuga said, adding that the issue in question dates back more than 30 years and had already been addressed legally and politically.

According to the Presidency, the matter had been settled in the United States and further resolved through Nigeria’s democratic processes, including the 2023 general election and subsequent Supreme Court rulings which affirmed Tinubu’s mandate.

The statement maintained that reviving the issue was an attempt to “rewrite history for personal gain” and distract from substantive political engagement, stressing that Nigeria’s leadership should be determined internally, not influenced by foreign intervention.

Onanuga also questioned Atiku’s decision to allegedly spend significant resources on foreign lobbying, suggesting that such actions amounted to externalising domestic political disputes rather than addressing national issues through democratic channels.

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He noted that while lobbying is recognised within American political practice, using foreign agents to push what he described as “discredited claims” against a sitting Nigerian president was not in the country’s best interest.

The presidential aide further argued that Atiku, as a former Vice President and elder statesman, should demonstrate restraint and uphold the values of leadership, rather than engage in what he characterised as “media theatrics” and political manoeuvres abroad.

The statement also referenced past controversies linked to Atiku, including investigations in the United States, and called on him to clarify his own legal standing, particularly in relation to previous allegations that had surfaced in international reports.

Onanuga said Nigeria’s current challenges require focused leadership and practical solutions, insisting that President Tinubu remains committed to governance and is not distracted by political opposition.

“President Tinubu is focused on stabilising the economy, attracting investment, securing the nation, and restoring Nigeria’s global standing,” he said.

He added that the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda continues to guide its policy direction, with emphasis on national development and security, despite criticisms from political opponents.

The Presidency concluded that Nigeria’s democratic mandate remains supreme and should not be subjected to foreign influence, urging political actors to prioritise national interest over personal ambition.

The Traffic NG
Presidency
Amarachi Ihesiulo
The Traffic NG

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