Presidency slams Atiku over US lobbying, says Tinubu’s forfeiture case long settled

THE presidency has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over efforts by his US lobbying firm to revive President Bola Tinubu’s decades-old forfeiture case, describing the move as misguided and damaging to Nigeria’s sovereignty.

In a statement released on Thursday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said Atiku’s political campaign against Tinubu through foreign lobbyists was self-defeating, arguing that the former vice-president’s public service record does not justify another bid for the presidency.

Onanuga went further, declaring that “if Atiku were Chinese, he would be rotting away in jail for his crimes against Nigerian people,” while accusing him of abandoning the conduct expected of an elder statesman in pursuit of presidential ambition.

The reaction followed an announcement by Washington-based lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., which disclosed on Wednesday that it had begun circulating US Department of Justice records relating to Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case to members of President Donald Trump’s administration, Congress and senior congressional aides.

The lobbying firm was engaged by Atiku in March under a 12-month contract reportedly worth $1.2 million. The agreement is aimed at improving Atiku’s standing in the United States, facilitating engagements with American officials and lawmakers, and countering what it described as the Nigerian government’s lobbying narratives. The firm also said it intended to ensure President Trump received all relevant court documents and filings linked to the forfeiture proceedings.

Responding, Onanuga said it was disappointing that someone who had pursued the Nigerian presidency for more than three decades would seek to involve a foreign government in domestic political matters. He argued that the forfeiture issue had been resolved more than 30 years ago and had since been litigated, explained and overtaken by Tinubu’s electoral victories and judicial affirmations.

According to him, reopening the matter amounts to an attempt to rewrite history for political advantage and insults the intelligence of Nigerians. He added that reporting Nigeria’s sitting president to another country’s leadership undermines the nation’s sovereignty and dignity, insisting that such actions are inconsistent with the responsibilities of a statesman.

While acknowledging that lobbying is a legitimate feature of American politics, the presidential spokesman maintained that hiring foreign agents to promote what he described as discredited allegations against a Nigerian president was an attempt to internationalise domestic politics rather than genuine advocacy.

Onanuga also challenged Atiku to explain his own legal history in the United States if he could spend $1.2 million on lobbyists to target Tinubu. He referenced Atiku’s alleged links to the William Jefferson bribery scandal and a 2010 US Senate investigative report titled ‘Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States: Four Case Histories,’ which examined the movement of suspected funds through offshore companies.

The presidential aide further alleged that Atiku’s continued presidential ambition was motivated by a desire to obtain diplomatic immunity and avoid potential legal issues overseas. He argued that reviving allegations raised during the 2023 election campaign would not improve the former vice-president’s prospects in 2027.

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Onanuga also criticised Atiku’s role in Nigeria’s privatisation programme while serving as vice-president, alleging that national assets were sold to cronies at undervalued prices, resulting in widespread job losses and unpaid pensions.

He concluded that rather than offering practical solutions to Nigeria’s economic and governance challenges, Atiku had resorted to media campaigns and lobbying efforts in Washington. According to him, President Tinubu remains focused on implementing his Renewed Hope agenda, strengthening the economy, attracting investment, improving security and enhancing Nigeria’s global standing, adding that the president is not distracted by what he described as Atiku’s political theatrics.