Top Nigerian Lawmaker Sends Strong Message to Opposition Over Tinubu’s FBI Report
- Philip Agbese, Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, criticised opposition figures for lobbying US officials over allegations against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
- Agbese warned the campaign could harm ordinary Nigerians abroad, affecting immigration, business, and employment opportunities tied to Nigeria's international image
- The Benue lawmaker called on the Donald Trump administration to scrutinise the motives of those presenting politically motivated claims about Nigeria's leadership
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Philip Agbese, deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, has criticised opposition politicians over their efforts to use political circles in the United States to press allegations against President Bola Tinubu.
Agbese posited that the campaign risks seriously damaging Nigeria’s image abroad and could have consequences for Nigerians living and seeking opportunities overseas.
Source: Twitter
Agbese warns against Tinubu antagonism
As reported by Guardian, Agbese addressed journalists in Abuja on Wednesday evening, September 2, responding to reports that a Washington-based lobbying firm had been working to bring documents and allegations about Tinubu to the attention of officials in the Donald Trump administration and members of the US Congress.
Speaking on behalf of concerned lawmakers and civil society groups, the Labour Party lawmaker said political rivalry at home must not be pursued through foreign governments at the expense of ordinary Nigerians.
PM News quoted Agbese as saying:
"This has gone beyond politics. When desperate politicians begin to export their political battles and package Nigeria as a country whose leadership is allegedly built around criminality, they are not hurting President Tinubu alone. They are damaging the image of every Nigerian who travels, studies, works, does business or seeks opportunities abroad."
Agbese acknowledged that opposition politicians have the right to criticise the government and contest its policies, but argued there is a line that responsible politicians should not cross. He questioned the impact such campaigns have on Nigerian students seeking foreign admission, entrepreneurs looking for international partners, and professionals applying for jobs overseas.
"You cannot spend your time telling the world that your own country is being led by criminals simply because you want to defeat the person in power," he said.
The federal lawmaker added that the consequences of damaging Nigeria's reputation would be felt by millions of citizens, not just the political figures being targeted.
Furthermore, Agbese questioned the reliability of decades-old civil forfeiture documents being circulated as evidence of Tinubu's alleged conduct, arguing that such material should be tested against proper legal and evidentiary standards rather than being presented as settled fact in international arenas ahead of the 2027 elections.
Source: Getty Images
Agbese urges Trump to ignore lobbyists
Agbese directed a specific appeal to the American government, urging it to look critically at the motivations behind the lobbying effort before acting on any information supplied through what he described as politically motivated channels.
"We call on President Trump and his administration to ignore elements whose new responsibility appears to be blackmailing the federal government of Nigeria and, by extension, the Nigerian people who are earnestly earning a living abroad. America and Nigeria have a relationship that is far bigger than the ambitions of desperate politicians," he said.
He urged opposition figures to bring their grievances against Tinubu's administration to Nigerian voters through the electoral and judicial processes rather than seeking to mobilise foreign governments against the country.
"Let Nigerians decide their leadership. If anybody believes the president has failed, take that argument to the Nigerian people and let the ballot determine it. Do not outsource our democracy to Washington, London or anywhere else," Agbese declared.
He stated that the House of Representatives would continue to stand in defence of Nigeria's national interests while calling on all political actors to keep their disputes within the country's democratic institutions.
Tinubu tells US court to block FBI
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Tinubu filed a response in a US district court arguing that records sought by a researcher are protected under US privacy law.
The case stems from FOIA requests filed by Aaron Greenspan seeking the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) files linked to a Chicago drug-involvement investigation from the early 1990s.
Tinubu's lawyers argued that personal curiosity about a foreign leader does not meet the legal threshold for public interest under FOIA.
Source: Legit.ng
