Diaspora Group Faults Atiku Over Washington Campaign Against Tinubu
The United States chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group (NDMG) has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over what it described as an attempt to take his political opposition to President Bola Tinubu to Washington ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the diaspora group alleged that Atiku’s camp was lobbying American officials with old US documents relating to Tinubu in an effort to influence perceptions of the President.
NDMG President, Daniel Cosmas, accused those behind the campaign of misrepresenting historical documents, particularly a 1993 US legal proceeding involving Tinubu.
Cosmas explained that the proceeding was a civil forfeiture case and should not be presented as a criminal conviction for drug trafficking. He argued that civil forfeiture and criminal prosecution are legally distinct processes under the US justice system.
The group also questioned the credibility of the alleged lobbying effort, raising concerns about the background of the lobbyist reportedly involved in the campaign.
NDMG said Atiku had every right to challenge Tinubu’s policies, oppose his administration and seek the support of Nigerians in the 2027 election. However, it argued that involving foreign authorities in Nigeria’s political contest was inappropriate.
The organisation further warned that campaigns built around disputed or distorted allegations could damage Nigeria’s international reputation and create difficulties for Nigerians living in the United States.
NDMG urged Atiku to focus instead on his political agenda and explain to Nigerians how his proposed approach to governance would differ from Tinubu’s, leaving voters to make the final decision in 2027.
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