Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has welcomed the US court’s order directing the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration to release files on past investigations on President Bola Tinubu.
This followed a ruling by Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, who instructed both agencies to conduct searches and process non-exempt documents in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by American legal researcher Aaron Greenspan.
A copy of the court decision, obtained Sunday, shows that the FBI and DEA must comply with Greenspan’s FOIA submissions related to a Chicago-based narcotics ring from the early 1990s—“involving Tinubu and three others: Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.”
“The FBI and DEA have both officially confirmed investigations of Tinubu relating to the drug trafficking ring,” the court stated, adding that “privacy interests are outweighed by the public interest in the release of such information.”
Atiku argued that if the disclosed records prove the president ineligible to hold office, Tinubu “should step aside” for the sake of Nigeria’s global image.
“Anyone occupying the presidency must not be of tainted character,” Atiku said in a statement through his media aide, Paul Ibe.
He added that the entire fiasco underscored the need for “full disclosure” on matters such as alleged forfeitures and academic credentials.
The former VP stated, “What it means is that the efforts of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will not be in vain, and what will be uncovered is His Excellency’s attempt to ascertain exactly what transpired – the circumstances surrounding the forfeiture of thousands of dollars allegedly linked to drug trafficking—and the issue concerning the Chicago State University certificate.
“The reason is clear: the matter of the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – whoever occupies that position must not be someone of tainted character.
“The government must ensure full disclosure. It is important; Nigerians need to know the background, academic records, age, state of origin, and the schools the leader attended.”
Atiku emphasised the importance of the ruling, saying it involves the world’s largest Black democracy.
“The fact that this issue concerns the government and the occupant of the office makes it even more significant. This is not just about Nigeria.
“This is the foremost Black nation in the world—the most populous. And so, we mean something to people around the world, especially the global Black community.
“It’s actually about time. And it’s a welcome development so we can clear the air about the issues that have been raised. Well, it’s not even just about future elections,” he stated.
Atiku stated that if found wanting, the president must vacate office to quit “dragging the country into shame”.
“If it’s established that the president, based on the revealed records, is not qualified, then the honourable thing for him to do would be to step aside.
“That would be the natural course of action. He shouldn’t continue to drag the country into shame.
“We are a nation governed by laws. Our young people are watching closely. They are observing how we respond in moments like this.”
