Atiku Tackles Tinubu Presidency Over U.S. Records, Says Personal Attacks Cannot Bury Facts

 

By Abdulahi Musa 

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Presidency of resorting to personal attacks instead of addressing questions surrounding President Bola Tinubu's U.S. records, insisting that "insults cannot replace transparency."

In a statement issued on Thursday by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the Presidency's response to recent concerns over documents linked to a 1993 civil forfeiture case in the United States failed to answer the substantive issues raised, choosing instead to attack his person.

According to Atiku, Nigerians deserve clear and factual explanations rather than political rhetoric.

"The Nigerian people deserve answers, not insults. They want to know if their President forfeited money to the Government of the United States of America on account of drug-related offences. They deserve transparency, not diversion. Until those questions are addressed with facts, no amount of outrage or personal attacks will silence legitimate public inquiry," he said.

The former vice president's latest remarks followed reports that Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a Washington-based lobbying firm engaged on his behalf, had begun circulating documents relating to Tinubu's long-running U.S. civil forfeiture case to officials in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, members of Congress and congressional staff.

The documents reportedly include a chronology of a 1993 U.S. Department of Justice civil forfeiture proceeding involving funds allegedly linked to narcotics trafficking and money laundering investigations. The records reference a case filed before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois concerning funds the U.S. government alleged were proceeds of narcotics trafficking or connected to money laundering activities.

Atiku maintained that asking questions based on publicly available court records should not be interpreted as an attack on Nigeria or its sovereignty. He argued that governments strengthen public confidence by responding to legitimate concerns with evidence rather than insults.

The Presidency had earlier dismissed Atiku's campaign over the documents and criticised the former vice president. However, Atiku insisted that the focus should remain on transparency and accountability rather than personal exchanges.