TD Abuja, Nigeria — The Nigerian Presidency has issued a scathing rebuke of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of undermining national sovereignty and engaging in “reckless political manoeuvres” in his quest for power.
The statement was signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
It denounced Atiku’s decision to petition U.S. President Donald Trump and members of Congress over a civil forfeiture case dating back to 1993 involving President Bola Tinubu.
According to the Presidency, the matter was resolved decades ago in the United States without any criminal conviction, and has since been overtaken by Tinubu’s electoral mandates in Lagos and nationwide.
Reviving it now, the statement argued, is “an affront to the intelligence of Nigerians and an attempt to rewrite history for personal gain.”
Highlights from the Statement
- Nigeria’s Sovereignty Questioned: The Presidency stressed that reporting Nigeria’s leader to another country’s president is inappropriate and diminishes the nation’s independence.
- Lobbying Expenditure: Atiku allegedly spent $1.2 million on American lobbyists, raising questions about his own unresolved legal standing in the U.S.
- Past Legal Shadows: The statement recalled Atiku’s links to the William Jefferson bribery scandal and his mention in a 2010 U.S. Senate investigation into foreign corruption, which detailed how offshore companies were used to channel suspect funds into the U.S.
- Privatisation Controversy: Atiku’s tenure as Vice President was criticized for a privatisation programme that allegedly sold national assets cheaply to cronies, leading to widespread job losses and pension arrears.
- Political Theatre Abroad: The government accused Atiku of preferring “media theatrics and lobbying in Washington” over presenting policy alternatives to Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
- Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda: The statement emphasized that President Tinubu remains focused on stabilizing the economy, attracting investment, securing the nation, and restoring Nigeria’s global standing.
Broader Context
The press release situates Atiku’s actions within a long-running rivalry between Nigeria’s political heavyweights.
Atiku, who has sought the presidency for over three decades, is portrayed as desperate for diplomatic immunity and validation abroad.
The Presidency insists that Nigerians have already settled the matter at the ballot box in February 2023 and through the Supreme Court’s verdict.
Onanuga’s statement also invoked comparisons to international standards.
It suggested that in countries like China, Atiku’s alleged record of corruption and failed privatisation would have led to imprisonment rather than repeated presidential bids.
Closing Remark
Onanuga concluded by branding Atiku a “perennial loser” whose obsession with the presidency blinds him to the responsibilities of statesmanship.
He assured Nigerians that President Tinubu remains unfazed by such distractions, committed instead to delivering on his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Note: This report is based on an official press statement.
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