Defence Minister Criticizes Atiku Over US Lobbying Claims

Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of trying to internationalize Nigeria's political contest ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a statement released on Friday by his Personal Assistant on Media, Ahmad Dan-Wudil, Matawalle condemned reports that Atiku engaged a US lobbying firm to circulate old documents about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He described this as a desperate attempt to discredit a constitutionally elected government and insisted that Nigeria's democratic mandate cannot be influenced by foreign interests. Matawalle urged opposition leaders to engage in constructive politics rather than actions that could harm Nigeria's international reputation.

He emphasized that political disagreements should not compromise Nigeria's sovereignty. Additionally, he noted that the Tinubu administration is gaining international recognition for its security efforts, citing praise from former US President Donald Trump.

Matawalle warned that campaigns of falsehood against the government would not succeed and called for issue-based politics from opposition politicians.