Ibe Challenges Presidency on FOIA Case Involving Tinubu

Paul Ibe, spokesperson for Peter Obi, challenged the Nigerian Presidency's response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit seeking the release of FBI and DEA records related to President Tinubu. Ibe stated that the Presidency's position avoided addressing the core questions Nigerians want answered.

He highlighted that the FBI and DEA had produced 399 pages of records, some redacted, and noted that President Tinubu had personally intervened in the litigation to invoke privacy protections. Ibe criticized the reliance on a 2003 US Consulate letter, which claimed no arrest records existed for Tinubu, arguing that it could not serve as a permanent clearance.

He also pointed out that the authenticity of the 2003 letter had been questioned. Ibe clarified the legal distinction between FOIA exemptions and judicial findings, asserting that withholding information does not prove the underlying allegations false.

He called for the government to cease political distractions and allow Nigerians access to the records as determined by the court.