The Presidency has challenged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to explain his own legal history in the United States after reports that his lobbying group submitted petitions to US President Donald Trump and the US State Department over President Bola Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case.
In a statement titled “When Will Atiku Abubakar Report Himself to President Trump?”, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused Atiku of pursuing personal political ambitions at the expense of Nigeria’s image and sovereignty.
Onanuga described the reported petition to American authorities as inappropriate, insisting that the civil forfeiture matter involving President Tinubu had been resolved more than three decades ago and had no criminal conviction attached to it.
According to the Presidency, the issue had also been settled politically and legally through the 2023 presidential election and subsequent Supreme Court judgment.
The statement criticised the use of foreign lobbyists to pursue domestic political disputes, arguing that such actions undermined Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Onanuga further alleged that Atiku should clarify his own legal standing in the United States, referencing the William Jefferson bribery scandal and a 2010 US Senate investigation in which the former vice president and his former wife, Jennifer Douglas, were reportedly mentioned.
The presidential spokesman also faulted Atiku for allegedly focusing on political campaigns abroad instead of offering solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
He maintained that President Tinubu remained committed to implementing his Renewed Hope Agenda, stabilising the economy, attracting investment, improving national security and strengthening democratic governance, despite criticism from political opponents.
