Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has accused opposition politicians of using a United States Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case involving President Bola Tinubu as a tool for political propaganda ahead of the 2027 elections.
Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, made the allegation while speaking with journalists in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Sunday.
He said opposition politicians were exploiting the controversy surrounding the case to mislead Nigerians and gain political advantage ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, the case before a US court is an FOIA lawsuit seeking access to records held by American law enforcement agencies and does not amount to a criminal prosecution or a retrial of Tinubu.
“An FOIA case is about access to government records. It is not a criminal trial, a retrial or a judicial declaration of guilt,” he said.
The APC chieftain said no US court had reopened a criminal case against Tinubu or ordered his retrial, adding that no American judge had found the president guilty of drug trafficking.
He also cautioned against automatically interpreting records held by agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as proof of criminal conduct.
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Oyintiloye said investigative files could contain unproven allegations, leads or information provided by third parties.
He cited FOIA Exemption 7(C), which provides protection for certain law enforcement records where disclosure could amount to an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
The former lawmaker urged Nigerians and the media to avoid what he described as “trial by document”, arguing that allegations concerning Tinubu had resurfaced at different stages of his political career.
He recalled that controversies over Tinubu’s academic credentials generated public debate during his two terms as Lagos governor between 1999 and 2007 and resurfaced during the 2023 presidential election.
Oyintiloye also accused opposition politicians of repeatedly raising allegations relating to certificate forgery, criminality and drug trafficking instead of presenting Nigerians with alternative policies and programmes ahead of 2027.
He challenged opposition parties to explain what they would do differently if elected.
“The opposition should tell us their manifesto, not blackmail. Tell Nigerians what you have on the table and why they should vote for you,” he said.
Oyintiloye said politicians should be assessed based on their policies, manifestoes, records and performance rather than personal attacks.
He further urged Nigerians to carefully examine political claims and distinguish between allegations, investigations, charges and convictions.
“Privacy is not a crime. An investigation is not a conviction. A document is not automatically a fact simply because it bears the seal of a government agency,” he added.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.