Presidential spokesmen dismiss US court ruling against Tinubu as nothing but politics

PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Daniel Bwala has dismissed the recent ruling by a US court ordering the release of documents related to President Bola Tinubu held by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other anti-drug agencies as politics.

Last week, Judge Beryl Howell of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, ordered the agencies to release the information they held on President Tinubu, ruling that shielding the information from public view is neither logical nor plausible. Her order was in response to a motion filed by American researcher Aaron Greenspan, who accused US law enforcement agencies of violating the Freedom of Information Act by withholding the information.

Mr Greenspan’s request is believed to be linked to a 1993 case in which President Tinubu reportedly forfeited $460,000 to the US government due to alleged connections to narcotics trafficking. However, dismissing the matter, Mr Bwala  described the court ruling as mischievous and politically mechanised nonsense.

He went on to question the timing and publicity of the ruling, saying, they claim the order was given on Tuesday but it never saw the light of the media until Sunday. In addition, Mr Bwala accused opposition figures of exploiting the situation for political gain.

Mr Bwala said: “There is nothing these opposition under the auspices of coalition for a wild goose chase cannot try to do to keep relevance." echoing these sentiments, Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the reports in question have been in the public domain for more than three decades and contain no indictments against President Tinubu.

Mr Onanuga added: “There is nothing new to be revealed. The report by Agent Moss of the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) report have been in the public space for more than 30 years. The reports did not indict the Nigerian leader. Lawyers are examining the ruling.”

In her ruling, Judge Howell noted that both the FBI and DEA had officially confirmed investigations of President Tinubu relating to the drug trafficking ring and ruled that any potential privacy interests were outweighed by the public’s right to know. She said: “They [FBI and DEA] have failed to meet their burden to sustain their Glomar responses,”

Judge Howell wrote, referencing the agencies’ prior refusal to confirm or deny the existence of records. The judge ordered that the agencies now search for and process non-exempt records responsive to the Freedom of Information Act requests.”

While the CIA was also included in the original suit, the court upheld its Glomar response, granting the agency summary judgment and allowing it to withhold any relevant records. Then, the court directed all remaining parties to submit a joint report on the status of any outstanding issues in the case by May 2, 2025.

Despite renewed public interest, the presidency insists the ruling does not bring new revelations to light and maintains that President Tinubu was never indicted in any investigation. In addition, the presidency also reiterated its commitment to transparency and lawful governance, while urging the public to focus on the administration’s ongoing efforts at economic recovery, national security and development.

“These reports have circulated since the 1990s. There is no criminal record, no indictment, and nothing to suggest wrongdoing by President Tinubu,” Mr Onanuga added.