The Presidency on Thursday launched a scathing attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over reports that individuals acting on his behalf petitioned the administration of United States President Donald Trump regarding President Bola Tinubu, accusing the former presidential candidate of internationalising Nigeria’s domestic politics and undermining the country’s sovereignty.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Atiku’s pursuit of the presidency had eclipsed the restraint and sense of national responsibility expected of a former vice president and elder statesman.
According to the Presidency, taking political grievances against a sitting Nigerian president to a foreign government was inconsistent with the country’s status as a sovereign nation and amounted to an attempt to externalise domestic political disputes.
The statement followed reports that a lobbying group linked to Atiku had submitted petitions to the White House, the U.S. State Department and members of Congress over a decades-old civil forfeiture case involving Tinubu in the United States.
Onanuga argued that the issue had been settled more than three decades ago and had no bearing on Tinubu’s eligibility to hold office, noting that the President’s election had been affirmed through Nigeria’s constitutional and judicial processes.
“The matter was resolved long ago and Nigerians have since spoken through the ballot and the courts,” the statement said, adding that revisiting it would not alter the outcome of the 2023 presidential election or strengthen Atiku’s prospects ahead of the 2027 polls.
The Presidency also questioned the rationale behind engaging foreign lobbyists to challenge a sitting Nigerian leader, insisting that while lobbying is recognised within the American political system, deploying such channels to influence Nigeria’s internal political contest amounted to an affront to the country’s independence.
Onanuga further challenged Atiku to address questions surrounding his own legal history in the United States, referring to previous American investigations in which the former vice president was mentioned in connection with allegations arising from the William Jefferson corruption case.
The statement argued that Atiku’s renewed focus on Tinubu’s past reflected political desperation rather than a genuine effort to advance policy alternatives for Nigerians.
It also criticised Atiku’s record in government, particularly the privatisation programme implemented during the administration in which he served as vice president, alleging that strategic national assets were sold below value to politically connected interests.
According to the Presidency, the former vice president should be offering solutions to Nigeria’s current economic and security challenges instead of pursuing political campaigns abroad.
The statement maintained that President Tinubu remained focused on implementing his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, including economic reforms, investment promotion, infrastructure development and national security, and would not be distracted by political opposition.
The latest exchange adds to the growing war of words between the Presidency and Atiku, who has remained one of the administration’s fiercest critics since the 2023 presidential election.
Neither Atiku nor his media office had publicly responded to the Presidency’s latest allegations as of the time of filing this report.