Presidency claims Atiku sold national assets to associates, questions ex-VP’s history abroad.
The Presidency has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of supervising the sale of national assets to political associates during the privatisation programme under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, claiming the exercise resulted in job losses, unpaid salaries and pensions.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in response to reports that Atiku had engaged lobbyists in the United States over President Bola Tinubu’s past civil forfeiture case.
Onanuga said Nigerians have not forgotten Atiku’s role in the privatisation exercise, arguing that his record in public office weakens his ambition to become president.
The statement also criticised Atiku’s reported decision to petition United States President Donald Trump, members of the US Congress and the US State Department over Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case.
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Onanuga said the matter was resolved more than three decades ago and did not result in any criminal conviction or finding of guilt against the President.
He added that the issue had also been addressed during the legal challenges that followed the 2023 presidential election, culminating in the Supreme Court’s judgment.
The Presidency described Atiku’s reported actions as inappropriate, saying taking complaints about Nigeria’s President to a foreign government undermines the country’s sovereignty.
While acknowledging that lobbying is a recognised practice in the United States, the statement argued that using foreign lobbyists to promote what it described as discredited documents against a sitting Nigerian President amounted to exporting domestic political disputes.
The Presidency also challenged Atiku to explain his own legal history in the United States, alleging that he featured in the William Jefferson bribery investigation and was among those mentioned in a 2010 US Senate report titled Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States: Four Case Histories.
According to the statement, the report alleged that Atiku and his former wife, Jennifer Douglas, used offshore companies to transfer suspicious funds, including proceeds of alleged bribes from multinational companies, into the United States.
Onanuga further alleged that Atiku’s continued bid for the presidency was driven by a desire to secure diplomatic immunity and avoid potential legal challenges abroad.
He described the renewed focus on Tinubu’s past as an attempt to revive issues raised during the 2023 election campaign.
The Presidency also accused the former vice president of concentrating on media campaigns and lobbying overseas instead of presenting policy alternatives to tackle Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
It maintained that President Tinubu remains focused on implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda, stabilising the economy, attracting investment, improving security and strengthening Nigeria’s international standing despite what it described as political distractions.
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.