Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has launched a blistering attack on Bola Tinubu over the Nigerian government’s controversial $9 million contract with a US lobbying firm, linking the deal directly to Tinubu’s past experiences in the United States.
In a widely shared video clip circulating on social media, Sowore accused Tinubu of understanding American politics and power dynamics “very well” because of his time living there “as a criminal” involved in selling drugs.
“Tinubu understands the USA very well. He lived there… as a criminal, because he was selling drugs,” Sowore stated.
“He knows what they want. That’s why he never spoke publicly when they were harassing him.
And I’m sure they have a whole lot of dossiers on him that has kept him very grounded.”
The remarks come amid reports that the Nigerian government, through National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and facilitated by Kaduna-based Aster Legal, engaged Washington-based DCI Group—a firm with ties to Republican figures and close to Donald Trump—in a high-value lobbying agreement.
Filed with the US Department of Justice, the contract totals $9 million, with an initial $4.5 million paid on December 12, 2025, as a six-month retainer.
The second installment is due by July 2026, making it roughly $750,000 per month—one of the most expensive lobbying deals ever signed by an African government.
The stated purpose of the engagement is to communicate Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christian communities and counter jihadist threats, while maintaining US support amid ongoing insecurity in northern Nigeria.
This follows heightened US scrutiny under the Trump administration, including Nigeria’s redesignation as a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom violations and threats of further military actions, such as airstrikes targeting alleged insurgent hideouts.
Sowore framed the lobbying expenditure as a wasteful attempt at image management rather than addressing root causes of violence.
He drew parallels to historical failures, suggesting that money spent on foreign public relations distracts from domestic priorities like halting killings, kidnappings, and displacement caused by bandits, terrorists, and other armed groups.
Critics, including Sowore, have described the move as “image laundering” at a time when millions of Nigerians face poverty, economic hardship, and daily threats to life.
The allegations Sowore revived reference long-standing claims from the early 1990s, when Tinubu forfeited approximately $460,000 to US authorities following a civil forfeiture case in Chicago.
Court documents from that period linked funds in accounts associated with Tinubu to proceeds from a heroin distribution network, though he was not criminally charged or convicted.
Tinubu has consistently denied wrongdoing, and the matter has resurfaced periodically in Nigerian political discourse, including during election campaigns and recent FOIA-related legal battles in the US over access to investigative records.
Reactions to Sowore’s comments have been polarized on social media, with supporters amplifying calls to prioritize security over foreign lobbying, while others dismissed the personal attacks as politically motivated.
The controversy highlights deepening tensions between Nigeria and the US under the current administrations, as well as domestic frustrations over governance priorities.
As insecurity persists across Nigeria, the $9 million deal has fueled debates about whether resources should target real protection for vulnerable communities—particularly Christians in the north—or efforts to shape international perceptions.
Sowore’s intervention underscores a broader critique: that external lobbying cannot substitute for decisive action at home.
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