Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, has accused President Bola Tinubu of making attempts to block the release of the details of his alleged criminal investigation by American authorities.
He made the accusation in a statement released on Thursday in Abuja.
Tinubu’s lawyers in the US had early in the week filed motions to appear in an ongoing freedom of information action brought against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) where records that may help answer questions about Bola A. Tinubu’s real identity and decades-long endeavours are domiciled.
Christopher Carmichael, one of the lawyers who represented Tinubu in the recent Chicago State University (CSU) records case, filed the motion, dated October 18, 2023, stating that he was a lawyer in good standing to appear in the case in the FOIA lawsuit underway in Washington D.C.
Reacting to the development, however, Atiku’s aide said Tinubu’s constant attempts to hide details of his past were unbecoming of a man ruling over 200 million people.
He said, “I think it is time for all Nigerians to express serious concern about this man named Bola A. Tinubu, if at all that is his real name.
“Some members of the Tinubu family, led by Rafiu Tinubu, a former Lagos State Head of Service, claimed they don’t know him. Some schools he attended denied him; he has now kept mute over the primary and secondary schools he attended, and he has refused to reveal the identity of his father and even his past.
“He refused to come clean on the details of his settlement with American authorities amid his drug trafficking probe. Now, an attempt is being made to reveal the true details of an investigation, but he has gone ahead trying and block it.
“His surrogates led by Mr Festus Keyamo, had said during the electioneering that the drug investigation launched against him back in 1992 was a tax related matter. So, if that is the case, why is he afraid to let the FBI release the documents?.”
Atiku’s aide called on US authorities to see themselves as the last hope of Nigerians since most Nigerian courts had blocked all attempts to unveil Bola A. Tinubu.
He added, “Tinubu has been able to deceive Nigerians by keeping his past a secret. Sadly, every attempt by well-meaning Nigerians to unveil him has been blocked by the courts. In Lagos State, where he has ruled for decades, the state has refused to honour FOI requests.
“Nigerians are now looking up to US authorities to do the needful so that they can, at least, have the true information on the person who is presiding over their lives. We call on American authorities not to be persuaded to stop the release the documents.
Shaibu said back in 2007, Rafiu Tinubu, a former Lagos State Head of Service, authored a book entitled , ‘Onijumu Wura: The Tinubu Dynasty of Kakawa’, in order to unveil Tinubu.
“Unfortunately, shortly after that book was launched, all the copies were miraculously mopped up. Till date, no one can find a copy of the book.
“Nigerians have a right to know about the past record of their president. Unfortunately, each time an opportunity comes up for Nigerians to have his full glance, Tinubu makees attempt to block such discoveries.
“We recall that when his academic records at the Chicago State University were to be released, President Tinubu said such discovery would cause him irreparable damage.
“Bola A. Tinubu is, yet again, playing the stalling games with the decision of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to release documents on his past while he was in the United States.
“Bola A. Tinubu must behave like a statesman and be decent enough to know that each time he comes around to frustrate a discovery about him, he embarrasses a country of over 200 million people”, he said.
