US $1.2m lobbyists: ‘You’ll be rotting in jail if you were Chinese’ – Presidency hits Atiku
Presidency Critiques Atiku Abubakar’s Lobbying Efforts
The Presidency on Thursday condemned African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for his recent lobbying activities in the United States. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, asserted that Abubakar’s actions are inappropriate and undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Onanuga’s comments followed allegations that Abubakar spent $1.2 million to engage American lobbyists to approach U.S. President Donald Trump and the State Department regarding a civil forfeiture case from 1993 that is linked to Tinubu.
In a statement, Onanuga expressed dismay over Abubakar’s attempts to influence U.S. officials, which he described as a misguided effort to interject foreign influence into Nigeria’s domestic politics. He stated that the case in question had been settled decades ago and questioned the rationale behind reviving it.
“It is baffling and disappointing that someone who has sought the presidency for over three decades now resorts to reporting the President of Nigeria to U.S. officials,” Onanuga said. He emphasized that the electoral mandates received by President Tinubu reflect the will of the Nigerian people and that revisiting this long-closed matter is an insult to Nigeria’s intelligence.
Onanuga reminded Abubakar that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and that seeking intervention from foreign leaders is inappropriate and damaging to the country’s dignity. He further argued that, while lobbying is a legitimate part of American politics, employing foreign agents to cast doubt on a sitting Nigerian president is an attempt to compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty.
He also urged Abubakar to reconsider his actions. “A man with such a dismal record as a public servant certainly has no business asking for our votes,” Onanuga stated, referencing Abubakar’s involvement in past legal controversies in the United States.
The statement concluded with a stark reminder of the seriousness of Abubakar’s actions, asserting that, should he be viewed under a different lens—specifically, that of a Chinese citizen—he might face severe legal repercussions.
As of now, Abubakar has not publicly responded to Onanuga’s remarks.
