Presidency Challenges Atiku on Lobbying and Legal History

On Thursday, the Presidency, represented by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of trying to internationalize Nigeria's domestic politics through lobbying efforts in the United States. This statement followed reports that a US-based lobbying group submitted petitions to US President Donald Trump and Congress regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Onanuga emphasized that these petitions revived a 1993 civil forfeiture case involving Tinubu, which had been resolved without any criminal conviction. He criticized Atiku for taking complaints about Nigeria's President to foreign leaders, asserting that such actions undermine Nigeria's sovereignty.

Furthermore, Onanuga challenged Atiku to clarify his own legal history in the US, referencing his alleged involvement in the William Jefferson bribery scandal as documented in a 2010 US Senate report. He urged Atiku to focus on national interests rather than personal ambitions in his pursuit of the presidency.