₦airaland Forum

The All Progressives Congress on Thursday dismissed critics and opposition figures anticipating damaging revelations from the planned release of files by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration on President Bola Tinubu’s past, labeling them “clowns.”

On April 12, The PUNCH reported that a U.S. court had ordered the FBI and DEA to release files on Tinubu by May 2. The court maintained that the records—linked to a drug trafficking investigation in Chicago in the early 1990s—have been publicly available for over 30 years and pose no new threat to the President’s standing.

This order followed a ruling by Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., who directed the agencies to search for and process non-exempt documents in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by American legal researcher Aaron Greenspan.

A copy of the ruling, obtained on Sunday, indicated that the FOIA request related to a narcotics ring allegedly involving Tinubu and three others: Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.
Despite growing anticipation, the Presidency insists there will be no surprises in the files.

President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that government lawyers are reviewing the U.S. court’s order but emphasized that the documents are unlikely to offer any new revelations.

Greenspan, who runs the transparency platform PlainSite, had submitted 12 FOIA requests between 2022 and 2023 seeking information about the early 1990s Chicago drug case.


Until recently, the FBI and DEA had issued “Glomar responses”—neither confirming nor denying the existence of related records. But the court ruled these responses unjustified, requiring the agencies to release any relevant, non-exempt materials.

With the release expected Friday, anxiety has intensified across social media platforms, where Nigerians have spent the week speculating about possible outcomes.

Key opposition figures have weighed in on the matter, expressing a range of expectations.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, through his media aide Paul Ibe, said Nigerians are eager to see the report’s contents.

“We will wait and see. Nigerians have been anxious ever since the issue was first raised in 1999 by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Now they want to see the full report. It’s understandable,” Ibe said.

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) also reacted with caution. Its National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, urged Nigerians to temper their expectations.

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“There’s a Yoruba proverb that says a groom expecting his bride doesn’t need to stretch his neck. We should read the report before judging its impact. I think many people may end up disappointed—it may not contain anything spectacular,” he said.


But the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, took a different stance, warning that the release may expose the true nature of Nigeria’s President.

“There’s anxiety because of the President’s efforts to keep the FBI files secret. I pray, for his sake, that the report is not damning. A conviction would violate the Constitution and disqualify him from contesting the election,” Osadolor stated.

He added that the report should be a wake-up call for future leaders on the importance of transparency, describing it as the “hallmark of credible leadership.”

Osadolor questioned why a man alleged to have spent years concealing past investigations would still seek re-election in 2027.

“I salute the U.S. government for deciding to release the documents. Nigerians deserve to know if the President has a clean, dark, or complicated past. That knowledge will shape national perception and determine what actions should follow,” he said.

He further called on the Nigerian judiciary, security agencies, and electoral bodies to “do the needful” if the report contains incriminating evidence.

Meanwhile, the APC’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, dismissed the opposition’s reactions as melodrama
Describing critics as “comedians,” Basiru emphasized that Nigerian laws—not foreign files—determine who qualifies to be President.

“The FBI is not part of Nigeria’s governmental structure. Many of those in the opposition are clowns. They are suffering from post-election trauma,” he said.

“They’ll need psychiatrists. Nigerian law is clear on presidential qualifications. No one can be removed from office unless it’s in accordance with the Constitution.

“If they want the presidency, they should prepare for 2027 and meet us at the polls. For now, they’re just a bunch of comedians.”

How far with una showdown and junks?
It is unfortunate that grown up men can be so gullible to the extent they will invest their time and days to pursue gullibility

America has been bribed with oil wells and gas fields as usual.., and they have gone quiet.. That was what the noise about releasing Tinubus dossier was all about in the first place..

When the US needs another round of oil wells, they will use one western media outlet to talk about how they want to release Tinubu files and Tinubu fearing for the fall out will surrender more Nigerias assets to those imperialists..

That's how it works. They fix a compromised candidate as your president and then use the dirt they have on him to manipulate your country to no end while naive supporters like the one above keeps defending the indefensible..

Lol

owobokiri:
America has been bribed with oil wells and gas fields as usual.., and they have gone quiet.. That was what the noise about releasing Tinubus dossier was all about in the first place..

When the US needs another round of oil wells, they will use one western media outlet to talk about how they want to release Tinubu files and Tinubu fearing for the fall out will surrender more Nigerias assets to those imperialists..

That's how it works. They fix a compromised candidate as your president and then use the dirt they have on him to manipulate your country to no end while naive supporters like the one above keeps defending the indefensible..

America is the largest producer of oil in the whole wide world! Google would have helped you! When would people like learn to read and verify things rather than parroting all the rubbish you hear from beer parlors.

Wat do we expect from a drug pusher n certificate forger

owobokiri:
America has been bribed with oil wells and gas fields as usual.., and they have gone quiet.. That was what the noise about releasing Tinubus dossier was all about in the first place..

When the US needs another round of oil wells, they will use one western media outlet to talk about how they want to release Tinubu files and Tinubu fearing for the fall out will surrender more Nigerias assets to those imperialists..

That's how it works. They fix a compromised candidate as your president and then use the dirt they have on him to manipulate your country to no end while naive supporters like the one above keeps defending the indefensible..

see as a normal person Dey reason…all these kind of over calculations that makes them jump into the lagoon.

owobokiri:
America has been bribed with oil wells and gas fields as usual.., and they have gone quiet.. That was what the noise about releasing Tinubus dossier was all about in the first place..

When the US needs another round of oil wells, they will use one western media outlet to talk about how they want to release Tinubu files and Tinubu fearing for the fall out will surrender more Nigerias assets to those imperialists..

That's how it works. They fix a compromised candidate as your president and then use the dirt they have on him to manipulate your country to no end while naive supporters like the one above keeps defending the indefensible..

You are very wise. This is why these politicians make more trips abroad on the eve of an election than campaign. On paper, Nigeria gained independence in 1960, but the actual fact is that through indirect rule, Nigeria and even Africa at large is still under the siege of the western world. This is why the right and credible people cannot be voted into power and the credible ones who were once power (for instance Yaradua and Gaddafi) were wasted.

Waste of time and resources, which documents?, I have come to realize that in this world, you have to go beyond the law to excel in life if you want to live big, tinubu went to France and stayed there for many days, I believe that this issue is what he went there to ion out, if they end up releasing those papers, it will contain nothing significant, it must have been doctored by nows, that's why they are asking for 90 days extension.

The opposition sha like to dey give themselves false hope

There is no judgement, there are no papers to be released. David Hundeyin is looking to cash out from Obidients.

This fake news is going to come round again in 6 or 9 months time, then again closer to the elections.

This format don cast and needs to stop.

All this media propaganda again


Meanwhile last last there is nothing in it

Escobar on the beat

Northerner behind all this

huptin:
America is the largest producer of oil in the whole wide world! Google would have helped you! When would people like learn to read and verify things rather than parroting all the rubbish you hear from beer parlors.

So why did they invade Iraq? To soread democracy,
right? Why are the Americans in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and why are trying to mess up Iran as we speak Do you know that Somalia has oil offshore? Do you know who is exploring all that as we speak? Why are they destabilising Venezuela, the country with one of the most proven oil deposits?Yes, they have oil, but Why are they taking almost 90% of oil earnings that should go to poverty ridden states Equatorial Guinea and Chad?

I'm really tired of schooling dense Africans like you. You lot are the main reason imperialism thrives in this continent.
You know nothing about "the game nations play", but you are always eager to pontificate on issues way above your pay grade..
If I tell you now that the west created boko haram and are the ones bankrolling that terrorist organisation, you will say I lie, term me a "conspiracy theorist".Yet, Trumps government confirmed that the other day.

Do you know that the mineral rich northern parts of the Sahel states are all being occupied by Islamic terrorists as we speak? Do you know that the governments of those states are accusing the western powers of supporting these groups, and this is why they chased the French and the Americans out?
What do you know? Just parroting all sorts of propaganda materials dumped on you by the CNN and the BBC..

Thank God lots of Africans are waking up..
Dey there dey suffer from your Stockholm syndrome

huptin:
Oga writing a long epistle will not cover your ignorance... Learn to gather your facts before jumping to conclusions

It's the reason Africans are so backward, read up the reasons for the invasion of Iraq. Stop being proudly ignorant.

Did they invade Afghanistan because of oil too? Use your brain now, it's not an ornament.

Apart from Google, there are different Ai tools, use different verified sources, ask them these questions, draw your inference, then draw your conclusions.

America is the largest oil producer in the world, it recently became a seller, there are reasons for this.. Just do your research.

What are you talking about?
I asked you some simple questions, all you need to do is to state your stand on those...

According to you, America has no intentions regarding hydrocarbon resources in her involvments in middle eastern politics.. She just there spreading the good old democracy!

I hear you.., but this coming from someone advising someone else to get better education of events, is very rich..
Take care
Next!