Atiku’s Aide Defends Hiring US Lobbyist, Slams Shehu Sani’s Criticism
Media adviser to former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has countered former Kaduna Central senator Shehu Sani’s remarks about hiring a United States lobbying firm to obtain documents related to President Bola Tinubu’s alleged drug‑trafficking case.
Shehu Sani had said that employing US lobby groups to criminalise the president and curry favour with the US government is unconscionable and unpatriotic, warning it could bring diplomatic fallout without achieving its goal.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ibe rejected the criticism, stating there is nothing wrong with hiring a lobbyist, especially when facing a dictatorship.
He added that the Tinubu administration had previously used public money for lobbying in the United States, noting that six months ago Tinubu allegedly spent $9 million of Nigeria’s funds on a US lobby firm.
Ibe argued the core issue is Tinubu’s earlier forfeiture of $460,000 to US authorities over suspected drug trafficking, insisting Nigerians deserve access to the FBI and DOJ files.
“Do Nigerians deserve to know what is in the FBI and DOJ files about Tinubu? Yes. Nigerians are entitled to know everything about their President or a prospective President,” Ibe said.
