SFormer Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to release disclosable records on President Bola Tinubu, dismissing the agency’s claim that public disclosure could endanger lives as “ironic” given the hardships facing ordinary Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr Phrank Shaibu, Mr Atiku challenged the FBI’s motion seeking to submit ex parte in camera declarations to justify withholding investigative records relating to allegations of drug trafficking against President Tinubu.
The FBI, in an application dated August 20, informed the US District Court in Columbia that it could not publicly explain all reasons for withholding certain records, necessitating confidential submissions to the court.
Mr Atiku described the agency’s rationale as deeply ironic, arguing that Nigerians were already paying with their lives for the President’s economic policies. He directly linked the administration’s removal of fuel subsidy to a cascading crisis affecting transportation, food prices, production and employment.
“Fuel affects transportation. Transportation affects food prices. Energy affects production. Production affects jobs. All of them determine whether an ordinary Nigerian family can survive until the end of the month,” he stated.
The former vice-president reiterated his pledge to reverse the subsidy removal if elected, describing his proposed alternative as accountable and insulated from abuse.
Mr Atiku clarified that he was not seeking exposure of undercover agents, confidential sources or investigative techniques, but only lawfully disclosable material.
“Protect your agents. Protect your sources. Protect legitimate investigative methods. Redact whatever American law genuinely requires you to redact. But do not stretch those protections until they become a bulletproof vest for Tinubu,” he asserted.
He framed the request as a democratic and humanitarian appeal rather than interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs, insisting that Nigerians were entitled to know the history and character of the man leading their country.
“Our demand of American law enforcement is not a call to interfere in Nigeria’s politics. It is a humanitarian and democratic appeal rooted in the principle that people have a right to information legitimately available about those who exercise enormous power over their lives,” Mr Atiku said.
“Protect your investigators. Protect your sources. Protect your methods. But do not protect the truth from Nigerians. Our people are already paying for bad governance with their lives,” he added.
