Former Kaduna Central senator Shehu Sani has criticised the opposition’s decision to engage a United States lobbying firm over President Bola Tinubu’s alleged drug trafficking records, warning that the move could damage Nigeria’s international reputation and strain diplomatic relations.

The exchange followed reports that Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a Washington-based lobbying firm retained by Atiku, had begun distributing United States Department of Justice (DOJ) records concerning allegations of drug trafficking involving Tinubu to officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump, members of Congress and senior congressional aides.

Reacting in a post on his X account on Wednesday, Sani criticised the move, describing it as unpatriotic and warning that it could undermine Nigeria’s international image.

According to the former lawmaker, engaging foreign lobbyists to influence another country’s government against Nigeria’s sitting President could have adverse diplomatic consequences.

“Engaging US lobby groups to criminalise the President and his administration and curry favour from the US Government is unconscionable and unpatriotic,” Sani wrote.
He argued that while the effort might not achieve its intended objective, it could expose Nigeria to reputational damage on the global stage.

“It may not achieve its objectives but will undoubtedly damage the international reputation of the country, escalate global repudiation against our citizens and lead us into the traps of sanctions and visa restrictions,” he added.

Sani further maintained that political opposition should pursue power through democratic processes within Nigeria rather than seeking foreign intervention.

“The opposition should fight and struggle for power within the borders of our country. Seeking foreign help for regime change in a democratic setting is wrong,” he stated.

However, Ibe dismissed Sani’s criticism, insisting that hiring a lobbying firm was a legitimate strategy, particularly under what he described as an authoritarian government.
Responding on X, Ibe said there was nothing improper about retaining lobbyists to engage policymakers in the United States.

“There’s nothing wrong with hiring a lobbyist, especially when you are confronted with a dictatorship,” he wrote.

The Atiku aide also alleged that the Tinubu administration had previously spent public funds on lobbying activities in the United States.

“Recall that six months ago, Tinubu splurged $9 million of Nigeria’s hard-earned money on a US lobby firm,” Ibe claimed.

He argued that the central issue was President Tinubu’s previous forfeiture of $460,000 to US authorities over allegations linked to drug trafficking and insisted that Nigerians deserved access to all relevant records.

“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,” he stated.

The disagreement comes amid renewed controversy over long-standing US records relating to Tinubu, which have continued to generate political debate between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.

Neither the Presidency nor the APC had officially responded to the latest exchange as of the time of filing this report.