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 Politics › Atiku Defends Subsidy Return Plan by Bobloco(op): 5:36am On Sep 16 |
Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has promised to replace petrol import subsidies with a production-focused subsidy aimed at lowering fuel costs, boosting domestic refining and reducing the cost of living.https://thenationonlineng.net/atiku-defends-subsidy-return-plan/amp/ 6 Likes
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| Politics › Re: Reno Omokri’s ₦3,000 Claim Detached From Reality — Onoh by Bobloco: 9:53pm On Sep 15 |
Tinubu, and those around him and working for him, are totally detached from reality. They have always been engaged in frivolity. Before now, it used to be, “Prices are crashing! Prices are crashing!” Now, apparently, the script has changed, but the detachment remains. 8 Likes |
| Politics › Don’t Push Nigerians To Their Limits – ADC Warns Tinubu On Fuel Increase by Bobloco(op): 7:44pm On Sep 15 |
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned President Bola Tinubu against further pushing Nigerians into hardship following the increase in the price of petrol to as much as N1,470 per litre. The party said the rising fuel price was making life more difficult for Nigerians, as the cost of transportation, food, electricity, education and other basic needs continued to increase. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, on Tuesday, the ADC said the country’s economic situation was pushing Nigerians close to their limits. “Every increase in the price of petrol directly raises the cost of living because businesses and households depend on fuel for transportation, electricity and other daily activities. President Tinubu has turned the petrol pump into an instrument of punishment for everyday Nigerians,” the party said. The ADC also raised concerns over reports that some private schools had increased their fees by between 30 and 40 per cent, saying many parents had not seen a similar increase in their incomes. It said parents were already struggling with the rising costs of food, rent, transportation, fuel and other necessities. The party, however, said it did not blame school owners for the fee increases, noting that they were also facing higher electricity bills, taxes, fuel costs, rent and staff salaries. According to the ADC, families were now being forced to make difficult choices between feeding their children, paying school fees and meeting other basic needs. It said the hardship was also affecting businesses, with some struggling to remain open due to increasing operating costs. “At N1,470 per litre, petrol is no longer simply a commodity. It is Tinubu Tax, which has made life unbearable for the majority,” the party said. The ADC accused the Federal Government of demanding more sacrifices from ordinary Nigerians while public officials continued to enjoy what it described as extravagant lifestyles. It argued that economic reforms should improve the lives of citizens rather than make them poorer. “A reform that continuously makes people poorer is not working,” the party said. The ADC said the 2027 general election would give Nigerians an opportunity to decide whether to continue with the current economic policies or support its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. The party restated Atiku’s commitment to reducing the price of petrol through the return of subsidy to support domestic fuel production. It said lower fuel costs would help reduce the prices of food, transportation and production. The party warned the Tinubu administration not to mistake Nigerians’ patience for acceptance of the current situation. “Don’t push Nigerians to their limits,” the ADC warned. |
| Politics › Re: "Anambra Had Nigeria's Lowest Unemployment Under Peter Obi" – Soludo (Throwback) by Bobloco: 5:10pm On Sep 15 |
Soludo is a confused fellow 52 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Atiku: FG Should Explain How Petrol Got To Over N1,400 Per Litre by Bobloco(op): 4:43pm On Sep 15 |
.....despite rising oil revenues Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has asked the federal government to explain the management of Nigeria’s oil revenues and savings from petrol subsidy removal as petrol prices rise to as much as N1,450 per litre. The latest price increases followed heightened tensions in the Middle East and a surge in international crude oil prices. Checks showed that several filling stations in Abuja, the nation’s capital, raised their pump prices to between N1,395 and N1,450 per litre. In Lagos, some outlets also adjusted prices upwards, with petrol selling for N1,400 per litre at some stations. In Ibadan, one filling station was selling at N1,370 per litre. ‘WHERE ARE THE SUBSIDY SAVINGS?’ In a statement issued on Monday by Phrank Shaibu, his senior special assistant on public communication, Atiku accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of failing to provide adequate explanations on the country’s revenues, federation account deductions and other oil-related transactions. Atiku said Nigerians were told that the removal of petrol subsidy would free resources for education, healthcare, infrastructure and other essential services. According to him, the continued rise in petrol prices, despite the revenue generated from the oil sector, makes it necessary for the government to account for the funds it has received and the savings it claimed would result from subsidy removal. “Petrol at N1,470 per litre is not merely a figure at the filling station. It enters the price of transportation, food, school runs, farming, manufacturing and virtually everything Nigerians buy. Every increase at the pump travels directly into the household budget,” he said. “After all the pain imposed on Nigerians, they have a right to ask: where are the subsidy savings and where is the money?” The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) called for a comprehensive reconciliation of federation account revenues from 2023 to date. He said the exercise should disclose gross collections, deductions made before distribution, the statutory authority for each deduction, the accounts into which the funds were paid and the ultimate beneficiaries. “Nigerians deserve accounts they can interrogate, not accounting labels designed to discourage questions,” he said. Atiku cited June 2025 federation account figures, when gross revenue was reported at N4.232 trillion while N1.818 trillion was eventually distributed. He said the substantial sums categorised as cost of collection, transfers, interventions, refunds and savings warranted greater scrutiny. The former vice-president also demanded disclosure of transactions involving the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, OML 143, oil-production revenues and NNPC’s international LNG trading operations. He further called for transparency over offshore corporate structures and allegations concerning unofficial crude lifting, maritime surveillance contracts and other possible off-book revenue flows. “These allegations are too serious to be answered with press statements and political insults,” Atiku said. “Every barrel can be measured, every cargo identified and every legitimate payment traced. If everything is in order, publish the records and allow independent forensic auditors to reconcile them. If the allegations are false, the records will clear the government.” ‘TINUBU HAS BROUGHT NIGERIANS CLOSE TO AMERICAN FUEL PRICES’ Atiku also rejected attempts by the federal government to attribute rising domestic petrol prices solely to the international oil market. “With crude oil around $102.52 per barrel, Nigerians are paying as much as N1,470 per litre. In 2008, when crude oil reached about $147 per barrel, petrol sold at N65 per litre under the Yar’Adua administration,” he said. He argued that the current petrol prices are particularly burdensome given the disparity between Nigerian and American incomes. “At about $4.31 per gallon, U.S. petrol is roughly $1.14 per litre. Yet while the U.S. federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, Nigeria’s minimum wage is only N70,000 per month,” Atiku said. “Tinubu has brought Nigerians close to American fuel prices while leaving them with Nigerian poverty wages. That is the true cost of his subsidy-removal policy.” Atiku said the government could no longer demand sacrifices from Nigerians without providing adequate information on public finances. “After all the oil, all the revenue, all the deductions and all the hardship, petrol is now N1,470 per litre,” he said. “The question Tinubu must answer is simple: where are the savings, where are the revenues, and who is taking Nigeria’s money?” https://www.thecable.ng/atiku-fg-should-explain-how-petrol-got-to-over-n1400-per-litre-despite-rising-oil-revenues/ |
| Politics › Debunking The Phantom Debts And Ecological Loan Fallacy - Peter Obi by Bobloco(op): 12:16pm On Sep 15 |
Debunking the Phantom Debts and Ecological Loan Fallacy My attention has been drawn to trending claims by the Anambra State Government that my administration left behind inherited debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, and unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions. This is completely false. We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over ₦35 billion. At the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did we owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified. The ₦2 billion ecological fund in question was released barely three months before the end of my tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis. Despite pressure to spend the money, I refused, insisting that it should be left for my successor because government is a continuum and the funds were tied to a specific project. The money was therefore left 100 per cent intact in First Bank, in Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of over ₦2.13 billion. It is important to stress that funds tied to specific projects or set aside for particular purposes were not even included in the over ₦75 billion in savings we left behind. If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning. - PO https://www.facebook.com/100046913660470/posts/1593584758881964/ |
| Politics › Re: Daniel Bwala Reacts As Rufai Oseni Says He Wants To Interview President Tinubu by Bobloco: 7:09pm On Sep 13 |
Talking about interviews, Daniel Bwala should be the last person to comment on them after embarrassing himself internationally on a gargantuan scale, one rarely witnessed before, during his interview with Mehdi Hasan of Al Jazeera. 5 Likes |
| Politics › Re: I Will Like To Interview Atiku & Tinubu - Rufai Oseni Says; Daniel Bwala Reacts by Bobloco: 6:46pm On Sep 13 |
This should be very easy for Tinubu. A first-class accountant. A master strategist. The man who, according to tata boys, built Lagos from scratch and tamed the Atlantic Ocean. As President, his policies have ensured that he and the governors have more money, even if the masses are subjected to extreme poverty. The governors have more money. So, facing Rufai one-on-one for a 50minute interview shouldn’t scare Tinubu. Those around Tinubu should encourage him to attend this interview. After all, for a man who has supposedly conquered everything from Lagos to the Atlantic Ocean, surely 50 minutes with Rufai shouldn’t be the mountain he cannot climb. 266 Likes 13 Shares |
| Politics › Why I Want To Restore Fuel Subsidy — Atiku by Bobloco(op): 2:19pm On Sep 12 |
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has explained why he wants to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027, saying Nigerians have yet to see how the money saved from the removal of the subsidy has been used. Atiku stated this in an interview with BBC Hausa published on Friday, while responding to questions about his plans for Nigerians facing severe economic hardship. The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate said he did not oppose the removal of the subsidy but questioned what had happened to the funds that were expected to be freed by the policy. “I did not oppose the removal of the oil subsidy, but where is the money? Where did it go?” Atiku asked. According to him, the money should have been deployed to improve the welfare of Nigerians, particularly by reducing poverty and supporting education. “It was intended to reduce poverty and help children attend school. Where is the money now?” he asked. Atiku said the government had succeeded in removing the subsidy but had not demonstrated to Nigerians where the resulting resources had gone. “It seems they are just stealing it,” he alleged. Atiku said one of the reasons for his decision to restore the subsidy would be the need to reduce the hardship being experienced by Nigerians. The former vice president was asked what he would do for vulnerable Nigerians amid severe economic hardship, food scarcity and other difficulties. He responded by pointing to the funds he believed should have been used to improve the living conditions of Nigerians. “They talk about 30 trillion, where is the money, what was done with it?” he asked. Atiku said the resources should have been channelled into programmes capable of reducing poverty, unemployment and insecurity. He argued that the removal of the subsidy would have produced a different outcome if the government had used the money for development. “If they had used the money for development, to solve security problems, for education, and to create opportunities for the youth, it would be different,” he said. Atiku also linked his position to youth unemployment and the need to provide young Nigerians with opportunities to become economically independent. He recalled that during the last presidential election, he proposed setting aside $10bn to provide young people with capital for various businesses. “At that time, when we calculated it, we estimated that allocating $10 billion… the programs we could build for the youth would ultimately reduce hardship for nearly 70 to 80 percent of the beneficiaries through the programs we intended to run,” he said. Atiku questioned why similar resources had not been used to reduce youth unemployment and hardship. “Steps should have been taken to reduce poverty, curb youth unemployment, and tackle insecurity, among other issues,” he said. Atiku also identified insecurity as another area where he believed the resources from subsidy removal should have been deployed. He said government should have used the funds to address the country’s security challenges while also investing in education and economic opportunities. “The government successfully removed the subsidy, but we do not know where the money went,” he said. He argued that the policy itself could have been handled differently if the savings had been properly applied. “If they had used the money for development, to solve security problems, for education, and to create opportunities for the youth, it would be different,” Atiku said. Atiku said his objection was not simply to the removal of the subsidy but to what he described as the failure to use the resulting resources to improve Nigerians’ lives. He maintained that if elected, he would restore the subsidy and ensure the resources were used to address the challenges he identified. “If elected, I will bring back the oil subsidy, and whoever stole the money must refund it,” he said. He added, “If elected, I can remove the subsidy and use the money to do all these properly.” Atiku’s latest comments come amid an intensifying political dispute with the President Bola Tinubu administration over the economic consequences of the 2023 petrol subsidy removal. Tinubu announced the removal shortly after taking office, and Atiku has recently challenged the Federal Government to account for the resources generated by the policy. The subsidy has subsequently become a major issue in the 2027 political contest. Atiku has insisted that he will restore it if elected, while a presidential aide has criticised his proposal and argued that it could create fiscal problems for the government. The Federal Government has also defended the removal of the subsidy, while the debate has expanded to questions over how the additional resources generated by the policy have been used. Recent reports by PUNCH Online cited the Finance Minister, Taiwo Oyedele, as saying the removal mobilised N15.8tn in resources for the Federation between June 2023 and December 2025. https://punchng.com/why-i-want-to-restore-fuel-subsidy-atiku/?amp |
| Politics › Missing Cash Transfer Billions: Is The Nigerian Government Alleviating Or Deepen by Bobloco(op): 12:50am On Sep 12 |
Missing Cash Transfer Billions: Is the Nigerian Government Alleviating or Deepening Poverty? Since reports of alleged misapplication or misappropriation of funds meant for poor people broke, there have been stringent calls for accountability from the federal government. Civil society, media organisations, and certain oversight bodies are demanding explanations. Even politicians and political parties have necessarily latched onto the trend to gain advantage. Eerily, the government has been silent as if N33.75 billion is a meaningless drop in the ocean. SupportFood Banks The 2024 Audit Report of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) revealed disturbing discrepancies in the disbursement of monies for poor citizens in the 2023 financial year. According to the Punch newspaper, eight audit queries were raised regarding cash transfers amounting to N33.751bn to 3,295,207 households supposedly drawn from the National Social Register (NSR) across 35 states. According to the report quoted by the newspaper, “the paid vouchers for the payments above did not contain the full details of the beneficiaries. REMITA statement showing record of the beneficiaries paid as against those listed on the NSR was not presented for audit. This hindered the authentication of the payments and made it difficult to ascertain whether the beneficiaries who received the funds were genuine. All efforts to obtain access to the REMITA statement were obstructed and denied by NCTO accounts staff, thereby frustrating the audit process.” HireAn Accountant In the same report, the OAUGF queried another N36.74bn worth of payments made without prepayment audit. “None of the paid vouchers were pre-audited or checked by the Internal Audit as required by extant regulations,” the report said. In yet another query, NTCO reportedly made 101 payments worth N4.616 billion for various expenditures and declined to present the paid vouchers for audit examination. That was not all. The auditor’s report also flagged N350.18m in unaccounted payments made to state coordinators of the NTCO for the enrolment of poor Nigerians into the scheme. The Punch reported that, “supporting documents, including beneficiary lists, photographs of activities, signed attendance registers, enrolment reports and acknowledgements from individuals who received payments, were also not attached to the vouchers.” The report further queried the whereabouts of N393.71m in unused enrolment funds claimed to have been returned by nine states but could not be verified by receipts into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. While the Auditor-General’s Office did not specifically establish any financial malfeasance, it recommended that officials of the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) appear before the National Assembly Committees on Public Accounts to clear the grey areas and that they be made to refund the billions in unaccounted funds to the treasury if satisfactory explanations could not be provided. The OAuGF has discharged its brief. And boldly so. The buck now rests with the National Assembly. But while Nigerians await the next step, it would be in the interest of the President Bola Tinubu administration to order a forensic investigation into this scandal and go the whole hog to bring culprits to book. It must seize this moment, unlike in 2023/2024 when it failed to bring to account those found wanting in a N585.2 million scandal involving the minister in charge of social safety net. Although the minister was suspended from office, the administration failed to send a strong signal that it would protect the poor at all costs. HireAn Accountant President Tinubu must wield the big stick on this deeply worrisome scandal. This is not just because of the widening trust deficit in government and its institutions, but because the administration has recently announced plans to spend $3.05 billion on social investments. If the government cannot account for what it spent in 2023, why should it be trusted to transparently deliver on another whopping sum of cash in the name of the same poor citizens whose lives and living conditions continue to nosedive by the day? For a country with extreme poverty running riot across the four corners, this is not how to alleviate poverty. For development partners like the World Bank that offer financial aid and loans to the government in the name of alleviating poverty, tougher accountability measures and stringent performance metrics must be put in place as conditions for providing support forthwith https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/09/09/missing-cash-transfer-billions-is-the-nigerian-government-alleviating-or-deepening-poverty/ |
| Politics › 2027: Tinubu, APC Ask Court To Dismiss Atiku’s Alleged Forgery Suit by Bobloco(op): 7:37pm On Sep 10 |
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu have prayed the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss, in its entirety, a suit filed by Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC). Atiku and ADC had, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, sued President Tinubu, APC and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over allegation that the president presented a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to INEC. Atiku, a former vice president, and his party, therefore, sought a court order disqualifying Tinubu and APC (1st and 2nd defendants) from the 2027 presidential election. In a joint counter affidavit filed on Sept. 9 on Thursday, Tinubu and APC denied submitting any forged certificate to the commission either for the 2023 or 2027 presidential elections. The APC Director of Legal Services, Mr Sanusi Samaila, who deposed to the counter affidavit dated Sept. 8, averred that President Tinubu did not submit any Form CF001 to INEC for 2023 or 2027 poll as claimed by the plaintiffs. “The 1st defendant (Tinubu) emphatically denies the plaintiffs’ allegation of forgery and submission of forged certificate to the 3rd defendant (INEC) for 2023 or 2027 presdential elections.” According to Samaila, the NYSC has never denied issuing National Youth service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to the 1st defendant at the end of his service year. “None of the documents the 1st defendant submitted to the 3rd defendant for the 2023 and the coming 2027 presidential elections was forged. “1st defendant’s educational quaiilication and the National Youth service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted to INEC were acceptable to INEC who later published his name and particulars as the presidential cancidate of the 2nd defendant in the 2023 presidential election as well as the upcoming 2027 presidential election as deposed to in Paragraph 14 of the plaintiffs’ affidavit.” The APC legal director argued that contrary to Paragraph 27 of the affidavit in support of the originating summons, no constitutional provision had been breached nor had any injustice been done to the plaintiffs by the 1st and 2nd defendant’s action of submission of the president’s personal particulars to INEC. He said Atiku was neither a member of APC nor an aspirant in the party’s presidential primary election conducted in May at which Tinubu emerged as its presidential candidate. Looking at Atiku and ADC’s claims on Tinubu’s eligibility and his nomination as APC’s candidate, Samaila submitted that none of the plaintiffs participated in the party’s primary or process of nomination of its presidential candidate. “The plaintiffs are not in this sult alleging any breach of the provisions of the Electorai Act or the 1999 Constitution by the 1st and 2nd defendants but they are only complaining about the nomination and submission of the name of the 1st defendant by the 2nd defendant to the 3rd defendant (INEC) for the coming 2027 presidential election. “The plaintiffs are also not challenging any decision, action or activity of INEC in this suit,” he said. He said by a letter dated June 26 attached as Exhibit APC 1, the party submitted the names of its candidates for the 2027 presidential and other elections to the electoral umpire. He said INEC, by a copy of the acknowledgment of receipt of the profile of Tinubu which was attached as Exhibit APC 2, confirmed submission of the 1st defendant’s profile as presidential candidate on July 11. In a written address attached to the application and filed by Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, the senior lawyer raised a number of objections to the originating summons. Olujinmi observed that though the plaintiffs’ complaint is an allegation of forgery which is no doubt a crime, he said such allegation must be proved beyond reasonable doubt, citing Section 135(1) of the Evidence Act, among others. “It is a settied law that the evidence required to prove that a certificate is forged is a disclaimer from the institution that Is said to have issued the certificate,” he said, citing a previous Supreme Court decision to back his argument. According to him, without evidence from the institution or body that is purported to have issued the certificate or other document stating that it did not issue the certificate or document or that any part of the certificate or document is not made by it, it would be idle and useless to contend that it is forged. He said the apex court had also held that “in order to prove forgery, or that a document is forged, two documents must be produced viz: the document from which the forgery was (a) made; and (b) the forgery or the forged document.” Olujinmi, however, submitted that in the instant case, Atiku and ADC had produced no evidence from NYSC Directorate, disclaiming issuance of discharge certificate to the 1st defendant. Besides, he said they had also not produced the document from which the alleged forgery was made and the alleged forged NYSC discharge certificate. “We submit further that this being a declaratory action, the plaintiffs have the burden to prove their case. “A declaratory relief is not granted by the court as a matter of course,” he said. The lawyer, who argued that all the five questions raised by Atiku for determination were hypothetical and academic in nature, submitted that the the case is not found on any real facts. “It is purely imaginary. The plaintiffs have not shown in their affidavit that they have suffered any infringement of their civil right and obligation by an act of the 2nd defendant.” He further argued that the plaintiffs’ Relief 4 is statute-barred, in that they ought to have presented thelr complaint in regard to the 2023 and 2027 elections within 14 days of the presentation of the allegedly forged certificates but they did not. According to him, it is clear from this provision that the period of 14 days should be counted from the date of the occurrence of the event, decision or action complained of. “The question that follows from this is what time were the particulars of the 1st defendant submitted to the 3rd defendant?” he asked. He argued that since Relief 5 is an appendage to Relief 4, it also should be struck out. Olujinmi further stated that the suit is incompetent, being a pre-election matter. According to him, for a pre-election suit to be competent, it must be justifiable within the definition of pre-election in Section 285(14) of the Constitution read along with Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act. 2026. “While Section 29(5} of the Electoral Act provides that only an aspirant who participated in the primaries of a political party may file a suit in court to challenge the conduct of the primaries of the political party, Section 285(14) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, has defined matters which such an aspirant may complain about in a pre-election suit.” The senior lawyer, argued that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to challenge the emergence of Tinubu as APC candidate. He said the Supreme Court described such parties as “mere busybodies doing nothing but dabbling and pokenosing into the internal affairs of those other parties that do not, in law, directly affect their own interest and preparation for an election.” He said the suit is improperly constituted as shown in their Reliefs 2 and 3, where the plaintiffs attacked the validity of Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which does not fall within the meaning of pre-election matter in Section 285{14} of the 1999 Constitution. Besides, he argued that the plaintiffs failed to join the National Assembly which enacted the Act and the Attomey-General who is endowed with constitutional authority to represent the state in matters for or against the state. Olujinmi, therefore, urged the court to uphold their preliminary objection and dismiss the case. The matter has been fixed for September 28 before Justice Inyang Ekwo. https://thenicheng.com/2027-tinubu-apc-ask-court-to-dismiss-atikus-alleged-forgery-suit/ 2 Likes 2 Shares |
| Politics › Tinubu Hit With More Trouble As US Court Accepts New Evidence In Alleged Drug Ca by Bobloco(op): 10:08am On Sep 09 |
Tinubu hit with more trouble as US court accepts new evidence in alleged drug case United States-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, says the US District Court for the District of Columbia has officially accepted and docketed its Motion for Leave to File Brief Amicus Curiae and Supplemental Notice of Evidentiary Exhibits in the ongoing drug trafficking case linked to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu. Von Batten-Montague-York made this disclosure in a statement posted on its verified X handle. The firm said its submissions are now officially part of the docket and before the Court for consideration, regardless of whether President Tinubu opposes them. According to the firm, it is a major victory for the American and Nigerian people, noting that its objective was to ensure that the Court is fully aware that the Nigerian Presidency and senior Nigerian officials have publicly discussed the case while President Tinubu was simultaneously seeking privacy protection before the Court. “We are happy to announce that our Motion for Leave to File Brief Amicus Curiae and Supplemental Notice of Evidentiary Exhibits have been officially accepted and docketed with the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. “Both submissions have now been officially entered on the federal docket in Greenspan v. Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-01816-BAH. We thank President Tinubu, his advisers, and his ministers for refusing to stop digging themselves into a hole. “You cannot demand privacy in a U.S. federal court while publicly litigating the same controversy and attacking those advocating for disclosure. “We are very pleased with this outcome because, regardless of whether the Court ultimately grants or denies our Motion for Leave, our submissions are now on the docket, and the Court has before it evidence concerning public statements by President Tinubu’s officials and relatives about the underlying controversy, as well as their public mischaracterisations of facts relating to the case,” the firm tweeted. https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/09/tinubu-hit-with-more-trouble-as-us-court-accepts-new-evidence-in-alleged-drug-case/ |
| Politics › Atiku Blasts Tinubu’s Economic Plan As Foreign Investors Withdraw ₦266bn by Bobloco(op): 8:17am On Sep 09 |
Former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the economic management of President Bola Tinubu following a reported N266.07 billion net outflow of foreign portfolio investments from the Nigerian equities market between January and July 2026.https://independent.ng/atiku-blasts-tinubus-economic-plan-as-foreign-investors-withdraw-n266bn/
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| Politics › Kano Elders Back Atiku, Begin Grassroots Mobilisation Ahead Of 2027 by Bobloco(op): 6:57am On Sep 08 |
A coalition of elders and supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has commenced grassroots mobilisation in Kano ahead of the 2027 presidential election, pledging to leverage their influence within families and communities to promote what they described as responsible political participation. The elders made the declaration during a one-day town hall meeting on Saturday, in Kano, organised by the Office of the Special Assistant to Atiku Abubakar on Voter Engagement and Coordination for the North-West Zone, Comrade Idris Ibrahim Unguwar Gini. The meeting, it was gathered, was aimed at reshaping political engagement and strengthening grassroots support for Atiku’s presidential bid. Speaking at the meeting, Unguwar Gini said the mobilisation would focus on parents, elders and families, urging them to resist what he described as the growing practice of inducing voters with money, food items and other material benefits during elections. He argued that elders had a responsibility to guide younger members of their families and communities towards making informed political choices. “We must stop allowing some politicians to come and distribute rice and money, and lure young people and their wives to vote for what will become a disaster,” he said. According to him, political mobilisation should be driven by issues, leadership quality and the welfare of citizens rather than material inducements. He also criticised the current administration over the economic hardship in the country and the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that Atiku would restore the subsidy if elected president in 2027. Unguwar Gini further warned that the economic situation could worsen if President Bola Tinubu secures a second term, urging voters to consider Atiku as an alternative. He said the meeting was particularly significant because participants attended voluntarily and were not financially induced to participate. “No one was paid money. We hope to work hard to instil in our children and families the right thing to do in order to secure Atiku’s victory in 2027,” he said. Elders will protect Atiku’s votes — Babawo The Chairman of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign organisations from 2023 to date, Alhaji Kabir Abubakar Babawo, described the gathering as unprecedented, particularly because of the large number of elderly participants. He said the presence of people aged between 60 and 80 demonstrated, in his view, that Atiku had considerable support among senior citizens in Kano. “We have never seen a meeting like this in Kano. Parents and grandparents aged 60, 70 and 80 attended. This proves to us that we have people who will protect Atiku’s votes,” Babawo said. He added that the participation of elders at polling units would strengthen the capacity of Atiku’s supporters to safeguard their votes during the election. Babawo also praised Atiku’s political record, portraying him as a leader who respects people, accepts responsibility for mistakes and is committed to addressing economic hardship. He said the 2027 election should be an opportunity to restore justice, tackle insecurity and reverse what he described as prevailing oppression and hardship in the country. Atiku represents national unity, says professor Also speaking, Professor Ahmad Shehu, Special Assistant to Atiku Abubakar on Stakeholders and Strategy, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of elders at the meeting. Shehu said Atiku’s tenure as vice president from 1999 to 2007 coincided with a period of economic growth and improvements in several sectors, including education. He argued that Atiku remained capable of addressing the country’s economic and security challenges. The professor also described the former vice president as a nationalist who, in his assessment, transcends ethnic considerations in his political outlook. “He sees himself as a Nigerian,” Shehu said. ‘Kano is bigger than any individual’ An elder statesman, Alhaji Sulaiman Mambo, urged political leaders to respect the influence of elders and avoid actions capable of destabilising Kano. Mambo said elders had a responsibility to prevent younger people from being manipulated for political purposes. “It is the right of elders not to allow children to be misused. From this meeting, we are telling every politician in Kano to be careful. We will not allow Kano to be destroyed,” he said. He stressed the strategic importance of Kano to Nigeria and the wider West African region, arguing that instability in the state could have consequences beyond its borders. “Kano is bigger than any individual,” he said. Mambo identified poverty, hunger and insecurity as major concerns confronting Nigerians and called on political leaders to prioritise measures capable of improving living conditions and restoring citizens’ sense of security. The meeting underscores the intensifying political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, as competing political camps increasingly focus on grassroots structures, influential community leaders and voter engagement in Kano. https://arewaagenda.com/kano-elders-back-atiku-begin/ |
| Politics › Tinubu Has Immunity From Arrest In US During UNGA – Nigeria’s UN Rep by Bobloco(op): 10:48am On Sep 06 |
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has said President Bola Tinubu will not face arrest or restrictions on his movement in the United States if he attends the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York. Ibrahim made the clarification following renewed discussions over allegations relating to Tinubu’s past in the United States and claims that he could face legal action during his planned participation in the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. He said the Nigerian Mission to the UN had not received any communication from the United States government indicating that Tinubu would be subjected to restrictions during the General Assembly. Ibrahim stated that the protections enjoyed by representatives of UN member states are provided for under Section 11 of the 1947 UN-US Headquarters Agreement. Benue govt warns residents against building on waterways, vows to end flooding Benue govt warns residents against building on waterways, vows to end flooding According to him, the agreement protects representatives of member states and their families from impediments while travelling to and from the UN headquarters district. “Where a conviction cannot be secured in a sensitive criminal matter, the consequences could include substantial compensation,” he said. Ibrahim further dismissed claims on social media that Tinubu could be arrested during his visit to the United States. “Social media cannot criminalise or arrest President Bola Tinubu, no matter how much the opposition invested in it, those efforts will only end as an exercise in futility. He has immunity from arrest in US during UNGA,” the ambassador said. According to him, the provision also covers UN officials, officials of specialised agencies and persons invited to the headquarters district for official business. https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/06/tinubu-has-immunity-from-arrest-in-us-during-unga-nigerias-un-rep/ 1 Like 1 Share |
| Politics › Atiku Vows Probe Of ₦33.75bn Cash Transfer Funds by Bobloco(op): 10:02am On Sep 06 |
Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to constitute an independent team of experts to trace ₦33.75 billion reportedly paid to 3.29 million vulnerable Nigerian households, after an audit report raised questions over whether the money actually reached its intended beneficiaries. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Saturday, the former vice president said the audit findings amounted to a devastating indictment of a government that took away the poor man’s subsidy, increased his taxes and tariffs, promised support, and is now confronted with serious questions over whether that support ever reached him. Shaibu quoted Atiku as saying the figures themselves expose the cruelty and inadequacy of the intervention, noting that ₦33.75 billion divided among 3.29 million households amounts to barely ₦10,258 per household. According to the statement, after removing subsidy, driving up transport fares, electricity costs and food prices, the President Bola Tinubu administration’s supposed intervention amounts to roughly ₦10,000 per household, and even that sum has now failed to withstand basic audit scrutiny. “This is beyond a bookkeeping scandal. The intervention is insultingly small, yet even that small amount cannot be cleanly accounted for. If money meant for hungry Nigerians cannot be satisfactorily traced while access to records required for accountability is frustrated, then what we are witnessing is unapologetic wickedness against the poor. You cannot punish people with hardship and then play hide-and-seek with money appropriated in their name,” Atiku said. He, however, commended the Auditor-General of the Federation, Shaakaa Chira, appointed by the Tinubu administration in October 2023, for putting his constitutional responsibility above political convenience. “That is what institutions are supposed to do — protect the public purse, not the political comfort of those in power,” he said. He noted that the situation was made more disturbing by the government’s own claim that more than ₦600 billion had been disbursed to over 10 million households, after Nigerians had earlier been told about 15 million households. “It now appears that the Tinubu administration cannot give Nigerians a coherent account of how many households actually benefited from its intervention programme, while significant portions of the expenditure have failed to withstand independent audit scrutiny,” he said, insisting that “a ministerial announcement is not proof of payment. A name on a social register is not a bank alert.” Atiku said the Auditor-General was reportedly questioning ₦33.75 billion supposedly paid to 3.29 million beneficiaries, alongside ₦36.74 billion in payments reportedly made without pre-payment audit and ₦4.62 billion for which payment vouchers were not produced. “These cannot be dismissed as another set of bogus figures buried in government accounts. These are resources appropriated in the name of poor Nigerians who desperately need protection from a cost-of-living crisis aggravated by this administration’s rash economic policies,” he said. Explaining the rationale for the planned probe, he said Nigerians could not reasonably be expected to trust the same government whose expenditure was under question to investigate itself. He said, “My team will constitute an independent group of financial, audit, technology and public-accounting experts to interrogate the available records surrounding these cash-transfer payments. We will follow the money as far as the available public and institutional records permit. We will examine the beneficiary figures, payment channels, reconciliation records, audit queries and every material inconsistency that has emerged. When that work is completed, we will furnish Nigerians with the findings. “There must be no black box around the poor man’s money. If Remita processed these transactions, the relevant records should be available for scrutiny. If beneficiaries received the money, there should be evidence. If access to records was obstructed, Nigerians deserve to know by whom and why.” Atiku argued that what Nigerians needed was not another palliative announcement but purchasing power, and an economic policy that reduces what they spend daily on transportation, food and energy, leaving more money in the pockets of ordinary families. “Our intervention will follow production. It will support domestic refining, increase local supply, reduce the cost of energy and ensure that the benefit reaches Nigerians through lower prices. When fuel costs fall, transportation costs ease; when transportation costs ease, pressure on food prices and household budgets reduces,” he said. He maintained that the Tinubu administration could not take away the little subsidy that supported struggling families, tax them heavily, increase electricity and transportation costs, and then obstruct accountability over the intervention supposedly designed to cushion those burdens. Atiku demanded that if the beneficiaries were genuine, government should publish the verifiable payment trail, and if the money did not reach them, it should be recovered. “And if investigation establishes that any official diverted, misapplied or misappropriated funds meant for vulnerable Nigerians, that official must face prosecution. The poor have already paid enough through higher fuel prices, food costs, electricity bills, transportation fares and taxes. They must not also be made to lose the money appropriated in their name,” he said. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/09/atiku-vows-probe-of-%E2%82%A633-75bn-cash-transfer-funds/amp/ 1 Like |
| Politics › Atiku’s Camp Kicks As El-Rufai Spends 200 Days In Detention by Bobloco(op): 5:31am On Sep 05 |
The camp of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has kicked against the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/04/atikus-camp-kicks-as-el-rufai-spends-200-days-in-detention/
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| Politics › Re: Tinubu Used Peter Obi To Stop Atiku In 2023 - Nyesom Wike by Bobloco: 3:07pm On Sep 03 |
AMINDA:You know it so well In the north especially North west and North east, you have to be popular to rig 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: Tinubu Used Peter Obi To Stop Atiku In 2023 - Nyesom Wike by Bobloco: 3:03pm On Sep 03 |
sleek214:Actually, Atiku’s 2027 strategy is looking like this: use Obi and Makinde to split the Southern votes, water down Tinubu’s numbers He got the North west and North east locked down already 6 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Uber Exit: Atiku’s Aide Blames Tinubu by Bobloco(op): 7:52am On Sep 03 |
Lithiumite:But if Uber were coming into Nigeria for the first time, you’d have been quick to attribute it to the so-called reforms of the Tinubu regime. 3 Likes |
| Politics › Uber Exit: Atiku’s Aide Blames Tinubu by Bobloco(op): 4:39am On Sep 03 |
Paul Ibe, a Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has blamed President Bola Tinubu following the exit of e-hailing company Uber from Nigeria after 12 years of operating in the country. In a post on X, Ibe dismissed the likelihood that Uber’s decision may be prompted by a review of its business priorities and investment focus. According to him, under the Tinubu-led APC administration, businesses are battling a punishing economic environment marked by inflation, currency instability, high operating costs, declining purchasing power and policy uncertainty. He wondered why Nigeria is increasingly becoming a business graveyard, a place where businesses choose to leave rather than invest and expand. “An administration that promised to attract investment cannot continue celebrating economic statistics while companies shut down, scale back or redirect investments elsewhere,” he said. Atiku’s aide pointed out that Nigeria needs policies that make businesses want to come here, stay here and create jobs—not an economic environment that steadily drives them away. He said Uber’s exit should therefore be a wake-up call that Tinubu’s economic policies are not yet delivering the investment-friendly Nigeria Nigerians were promised. “Indeed, Tinubunomics is powered by ‘bole ka ja’ policies,” he said. https://guardian.ng/news/atikus-aide-blames-tinubu-as-uber-exits-nigeria/ 16 Likes 3 Shares
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| Politics › Atiku Replies Tinubu, Compares Nigeria’s Fuel Price To Other Oil Producers by Bobloco(op): 5:16am On Sep 02 |
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of offering “political anaesthesia” ahead of 2027, saying the real issue is not him but why Nigerians can no longer afford basic living costs.https://tribuneonlineng.com/atiku-replies-tinubu-compares-nigerias-fuel-price-to-other-oil-producers/ 16 Likes 2 Shares
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| Politics › Agbonayinma Gives EFCC 14-day Ultimatum To Reopen Atiku Case by Bobloco(op): 8:40pm On Sep 01 |
ABUJA — A former member of the House of Representatives and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), giving the agency 14 days to reopen and prosecute a financial crimes case allegedly involving former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Agbonayinma warned that if the EFCC failed to act within the 14-day period, he would take legal action against the commission. The petition was filed on behalf of Agbonayinma by his Principal Counsel, Hannibal Egbe Uwaifo, SAN, of Sagitarian Law Firm. In the petition, the former lawmaker alleged that the EFCC investigated allegations of corruption involving Atiku between 2005 and 2006, when he was Vice President. He claimed that following the investigation, the EFCC released a report titled, “The EFCC Report on Vice-President Abubakar Atiku (Full Report),” dated September 2006. According to the petition, the report contained allegations of corrupt practices, money laundering and other financial crimes involving the former Vice President. The petition stated that although the EFCC had allegedly vowed to prosecute Atiku after he left office, when he was covered by constitutional immunity, no prosecution had taken place. It read in part: “That although the allegations were mind-boggling and the EFCC vowed to prosecute Alhaji Abubakar Atiku as soon as he leaves office as Vice President (being covered by Constitutional Immunity then), nothing has been done till date despite public outcry both within and outside Nigeria.” Agbonayinma alleged that the EFCC’s failure to act on the matter constituted a dereliction of duty and undermined the agency’s anti-corruption mandate. He also referred to an alleged investigation by the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, saying it had made allegations relating to money laundering and other financial crimes against Atiku in a report dated February 4, 2010. The petitioner urged the EFCC to reactivate both the commission’s 2006 report and the US Senate report as the basis for prosecuting Atiku. “In the circumstances, it is the demand of our Client that the EFCC report and the report of the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs report dated February 4, 2010, be reactivated as a basis for the immediate prosecution of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku to serve as a deterrent,” the petition stated. Agbonayinma said the prosecution of the case would demonstrate the EFCC’s commitment to tackling corruption, particularly cases involving high-profile individuals. The petition added: “Our Client believes that the present leadership at the EFCC has all it takes to bring Nigeria out of the high corruption index for which the country is presently infamous, and the prosecution of this case will represent one of the greatest milestone achievements of your anti-corruption body.” The former lawmaker subsequently gave the commission 14 days from the date of the petition to act on his demand. “Take notice that if, after 14 days of this letter, your Commission, the EFCC, refuses or neglects to act, our further instruction is to take legal action against your Commission,” the petition warned https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/09/agbonayinma-gives-efcc-14-day-ultimatum-to-reopen-atiku-case/amp/ |
| Politics › Re: Atiku’s ₦600 Petrol Proposal Not A Return To Subsidy – ADC Tells Presidency by Bobloco(op): 8:37pm On Sep 01 |
femi4:Atiku hasn't been president yet Which past achievements are you referring to? |
| Politics › Re: Atiku’s ₦600 Petrol Proposal Not A Return To Subsidy – ADC Tells Presidency by Bobloco(op): 6:44pm On Sep 01 |
femi4:Just because Tinubu can’t achieve it doesn’t mean nobody else can. Don’t confuse one person’s limitations with the limits of possibility. |
| Politics › 2027 Presidency: Court Adjourns Atiku’s Suit Challenging Tinubu’s Eligibility by Bobloco(op): 5:36pm On Sep 01 |
2027 Presidency: Court adjourns Atiku’s suit challenging Tinubu’s eligibility to Sept 28 …as judge gags parties from discussing case on social media The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday fixed September 28 for further proceedings on the suit seeking to stop President Bola Tinubu from seeking re-election in 2027 over alleged certificate forgery. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was brought before the court by a former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar. While the ADC was joined as the 2nd plaintiff, President Tinubu, his political party the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were listed as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively. Specifically, Atiku, in a 25-paragraph affidavit he personally deposed to in support of the suit, alleged that President Tinubu submitted a bogus National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to INEC in aid of his qualification for the presidential seat. Insisting that President Tinubu gave false information about himself in the Form CF0001 he tendered before INEC, the plaintiffs drew the court’s attention to the fact that the NYSC certificate he submitted to the electoral body bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”. “I know that the NYSC certificate is clearly not one obtained by the 1st defendant, as it belongs to one Adekunle. “The said NYSC certificate, bearing the name Tinubu Bola Adekunle, is herein attached and marked as Exhibit P2. “I know that the said NYSC certificate is still in existence and in the custody of the 3rd defendant (INEC) and that it is a forgery, as the 1st defendant’s name is not Adekunle, and yet he submitted it to the 3rd defendant to be acted upon as genuine,” Atiku averred. He told the court that Tinubu had been parading the forged certificate since 1999, when he contested the Lagos State governorship election. Atiku therefore urged the court, among others, to determine “Whether, in view of the limitations in sections 138(1)(a) & (b) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and section 285(14)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), the Plaintiffs will not be allowed to enforce the binding provision of section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), which applies, mutatis mutandis, to all candidates aspiring to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” As well as “Whether the 1st and 2nd Defendants should be disqualified for presenting a forged NYSC certificate to the 3rd Defendant for the 2023 and 2027 Presidential Elections, in breach of Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).” Upon a positive determination of the legal questions, the plaintiffs sought a “declaration that the 1st Defendant presented a forged certificate to the 3rd Defendant when he contested for Governor of Lagos State in 1999 and thereby breached the provision of section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)”. Likewise, “An order disqualifying the 1st and 2nd Defendants from participating in the 2027 Presidential Election for presenting a forged certificate to the 3rd Defendant when the 1st Defendant contested for Governor of Lagos State in 1999.” Meanwhile, when the case was called up on Tuesday, a team of lawyers led by Mr Omosanya Popoola announced their appearance for President Tinubu, whom Atiku’s lawyer, Mr Joseph Onu, said they had been unable to serve with a copy of the suit. Despite Popoola’s assurance that President Tinubu had given him the authority to represent him, Onu, however, insisted that, owing to the sensitive nature of the case, his client would prefer to effect personal service of the process or secure an order for substituted service. “My lord, this is a very important case, and we do not want to leave any chance for a technicality. We do not want to fall into any trap. “But if we have a written undertaking from the 1st defendant to be served through counsel, we will accept,” Onu insisted. For his part, INEC’s lawyer, Dr Alex Iziyon, SAN, urged the court to dismiss Atiku’s insistence on personal service of the processes on Tinubu, arguing that the appearance of his counsel was a sufficient undertaking. Noting that over 17 days had passed since the case was filed before the court, INEC demanded an expedited hearing, saying it was ready to file its defence within 10 days. After listening to all the parties, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that he could not dictate to the plaintiffs how to conduct their case. Consequently, he adjourned the matter for mention. However, the court vowed to take drastic action against any party that discussed details of the pending case in the media. “This case is to be conducted in the court and not in the media, whether it is regular or social. “If this case is discussed on social media, I will hold counsel for the party responsible, and I will take very drastic action,” Justice Ekwo warned https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/09/2027-presidency-court-adjourns-atikus-suit-challenging-tinubus-eligibility-to-sept-28/amp/ |
| Politics › Re: Name One Thing That Has Become Cheaper Under Tinubu. by Bobloco: 5:20pm On Sep 01 |
Parachoko:Before Tinubu became President, how much was the dollar exchanging for the naira, and what is the exchange rate today? How much was a litre of petrol before Tinubu became President, and how much is it today? That's what the OP is implying 2 Likes |
| Politics › Atiku’s ₦600 Petrol Proposal Not A Return To Subsidy – ADC Tells Presidency by Bobloco(op): 1:37am On Sep 01 |
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected claims by the Presidency that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to reduce petrol prices to about N600 per litre amounts to a return to Nigeria’s old fuel subsidy regime.https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/31/atikus-n600-petrol-proposal-not-a-return-to-subsidy-adc-tells-presidency/#mthxgdejqa0ig92u8fh 5 Likes
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| Politics › Corruption Enjoying Great Freedom Under Tinubu – ADC by Bobloco(op): 1:02am On Sep 01 |
Corruption enjoying great freedom under Tinubu – ADC The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of allowing corruption to thrive, saying the menace has enjoyed “great freedom” under the current government.https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/30/corruption-enjoying-great-freedom-under-tinubu-adc/#mthva5gyt7frpy71u4 4 Likes
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| Politics › Why Tinubu Doesn’t Want His FBI Records Released – Reno Omokri by Bobloco(op): 2:15pm On Aug 31 |
Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s opposition to the public release of his records held by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, arguing that the documents are not necessarily criminal records. Omokri said the presence of Tinubu’s name in FBI records did not mean that the President had a criminal record, arguing that the agency maintains extensive non-criminal files on individuals. He stated this in a statement on X on Monday while reacting to the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s efforts to prevent the release of unredacted records held by the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration. Omokri said, “President Bola Tinubu has no criminal record in the United States, Nigeria, or anywhere else, and the FBI has not provided any criminal record on the President to anyone because none exists. Yes, FBI records may contain his name, but they are NOT criminal records.” He explained that the FBI could have records on foreign nationals who had applied for US visas or undergone background checks. “This is because the FBI conducts MANDATORY background screenings on behalf of the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security on US visa applicants,” he said. “Thus, as a US citizen or resident, or even as a foreign national, if your name is run through the FBI databases, it is likely to bring up hundreds of pages of records. This does not mean that the records are criminal. In most cases, they will be benign.” According to Omokri, the records could contain sensitive personal information, including biometric, biographical and financial details. “Such records may include personal biometric, biographical, and financial information, such as fingerprints, DNA, bank statements, and other private records,” he said. He then questioned whether Nigerians would want their private information released to political opponents. “Would you, as an individual, want your private records released to your political opponents, even if they were non-criminal?” Omokri also claimed that the US authorities had previously cleared Tinubu of criminal wrongdoing. He referred to correspondence he said was exchanged between the US Embassy and Nigeria’s then Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, in February 2003. According to him, Balogun had written to the US Embassy seeking information on whether the FBI had any criminal records involving Tinubu, who was then Governor of Lagos State. Omokri said the embassy responded the following day and gave what he described as an “all clear” regarding criminal records involving Tinubu. He said, “This was consistent with my findings when I visited Chicago in 2022, as a member of the opposition, to establish the truth about then-Presidential candidate Bola Tinubu’s academic and other records.” Omokri added, “Nigerians may want to find attached the response from the Embassy of the United States absolving the then-Governor of Lagos of any wrongdoing or criminal conduct, charges, or activity whatsoever.” He challenged anyone who doubted the authenticity of the document to seek clarification from the US Embassy. “Those who may question the authenticity of this document may also wish to contact the US Embassy in Abuja or Lagos for clarification,” he said. Omokri’s comments came amid an ongoing legal battle in the United States over access to Tinubu’s records. Related News JUST IN: Donald Duke, Adebayo, Aliyu, others arrive for opposition summit 2027: INEC list rekindles APC’s post-primary crisis Guild hails Tinubu, demands credible NFF reform committee PUNCH Online had reported that Tinubu had asked the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to reject a request seeking the release of his unredacted records held by the FBI and DEA. The President’s lawyers argued that the US Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act protected the records from disclosure, while also contending that there was no public interest recognised under US law that justified releasing the information. The lawyers also argued that the request was politically motivated and sought information about Tinubu because of his position as Nigeria’s President. The case followed a FOIA request by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, who sought access to records relating to Tinubu. The FBI has invoked several FOIA exemptions in resisting the release of portions of the records, including provisions relating to privacy, confidential sources, investigative techniques and the safety of individuals. The controversy over Tinubu’s US records dates back to the 1990s and became a major issue during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election. In 1993, a US District Court in Illinois ordered the forfeiture of $460,000 held in an account linked to Tinubu after US authorities alleged that the funds represented proceeds of narcotics trafficking or were involved in prohibited financial transactions. The All Progressives Congress maintained during the presidential election litigation that the proceeding was a civil forfeiture case and not a criminal conviction. Discover more political News Sourcing Government Grants Headline news service Podcast production The Presidential Election Petition Court, in September 2023, held that the petitioners had failed to establish that Tinubu was arrested, arraigned, convicted or sentenced in a criminal case in the US. Omokri maintained that the current controversy should not be used to portray Tinubu as having a criminal record. He said, “President Bola Tinubu has no criminal record in the United States, Nigeria, or anywhere else.” He also argued that the public should distinguish between an FBI file and a criminal record. “Please fact-check me: The US FBI regularly keeps billions of non-criminal files on American citizens and residents, as well as foreign nationals, through the FBI’s Central Records Systems and Next Generation Identification database,” he said. Omokri said the release of private records should not be treated as an automatic public right merely because the individual concerned is a political figure. “Would you, as an individual, want your private records released to your political opponents, even if they were non-criminal?” he repeated. Meanwhile, opposition groups have continued to demand the release of the records, arguing that Nigerians have a right to know information about the President’s past. The African Democratic Congress spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Tinubu should support the release of the records if he had nothing to hide. “Why is the President opposing the release of his past records? That is suspicious. The President should allow them (records) to be released to clear himself,” he said. Similarly, the Nigeria Democratic Congress National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said Nigerians deserved to know the truth and urged Tinubu to allow the release of the records. The ongoing US case concerns access to government records under the FOIA and does not, by itself, constitute a criminal prosecution or establish that Tinubu committed a drug-trafficking offence https://punchng.com/why-tinubu-doesnt-want-his-fbi-records-released-reno-omokri/ 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: Omisore: The “atiku Osun” Who Lost 19 Of 22 Polling Units In His Ward - Kupoluyi by Bobloco: 9:37am On Aug 31 |
Is the OP referring to the same Omisore whom the APC insulted by disqualifying him from participating in the governorship primary on the flimsy excuse that he didn’t fill out his form properly...the immediate past National Secretary of the APC? And they expected APC to win all the polling unit in his ward |
| Politics › Tinubu Will Be Embarrassed At UNGA Meeting – Von Batten-Montague by Bobloco(op): 9:19am On Aug 31 |
United States-based policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, says Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu will be embarrassed at the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, meeting in September if he attends.https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/31/alleged-drug-trafficking-tinubu-will-be-embarrassed-at-unga-meeting-us-firm/ 47 Likes 2 Shares
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