The Presidency has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over reports that his lobbying group in the United States submitted petitions to President Donald Trump and the US State Department regarding a 1993 civil forfeiture case, describing the move as an affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty.
In a statement issued on July 23, 2026 by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Atiku’s “relentless desire to become President” has closed his eyes to the virtues of statesmanship expected of an elder statesman. It accused him of diminishing himself through reckless public statements and desperate political manoeuvres.
According to the statement, the 1993 case cited by Atiku’s lobbyists was settled over 30 years ago in the United States with no criminal conviction or finding of guilt. The Presidency argued that the matter had been thoroughly litigated and rendered moot by the electoral mandates given to President Bola Tinubu by Nigerians.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation, not a satellite of any foreign power,” the statement read. “Reporting the President of Nigeria to another country’s leader is not only inappropriate but also undermines the nation’s dignity and independence. Such actions are incongruous with the responsibilities of a statesman and are ultimately self-defeating.”
The Presidency further alleged that employing paid foreign agents to peddle discredited documents against a sitting Nigerian President is not advocacy but an attempt to externalise domestic politics. It noted that Nigerians had resolved the issue at the ballot in February 2023 and at the Supreme Court, and that Atiku’s “latest fishing expedition would amount to nought.”
The statement also raised questions about Atiku’s own legal history in the US, referencing the William Jefferson bribery scandal and a 2010 US Senate investigation titled “Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States.” It claimed the report documented how Atiku used offshore companies to bring suspect funds, including alleged bribes from multinationals, into the United States.
The Presidency accused Atiku of presiding over a flawed privatisation programme as Vice President, alleging that national assets were sold to cronies for little value, leading to job losses and unpaid pensions which President Tinubu’s administration is now addressing. It added that Atiku’s focus on lobbying abroad instead of offering policy solutions showed a lack of serious engagement with Nigeria’s challenges.
Concluding, the Presidency said President Tinubu remains focused on his Renewed Hope Agenda of stabilising the economy, attracting investments, securing the nation, and restoring Nigeria’s global standing. “He is not distracted by political actors, perennial losers like Atiku, who now seek validation abroad,” the statement said.
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