Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to release records relating to President Bola Tinubu that can legally be made public.
Atiku made the demand in a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, following the FBI’s recent request to keep some of the records confidential.
The records relate to an old US investigation involving allegations of drug trafficking connected to Tinubu. The FBI has asked a US federal court for permission to submit confidential explanations for why some information should remain undisclosed. The agency has cited concerns including the protection of law-enforcement methods and the safety of individuals.
Atiku argued that the FBI can protect genuinely sensitive information while still releasing documents that are legally available to the public. He said information about the background and character of a person occupying Nigeria’s highest political office is a legitimate matter of public interest, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 presidential election.
The former vice president said Nigerians have a democratic right to scrutinise the history of anyone seeking to continue governing the country.
He urged the FBI to redact information that could expose confidential sources, investigators or legitimate investigative techniques, rather than withholding entire records.
Atiku also rejected the FBI’s argument that disclosure could endanger lives, questioning whose lives would be endangered while arguing that Nigerians are already suffering the consequences of economic hardship and insecurity.
“Protect your agents. Protect your sources. Protect legitimate investigative methods,” Atiku said, while insisting that such protections should not be used to prevent the release of information that can lawfully be disclosed.
The controversy follows a recent development in the US court case, where a federal judge set August 28, 2026 as a deadline for the FBI, the US Department of Justice, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Tinubu to respond to efforts seeking the release of the records.
The FBI has maintained that some of the requested material is protected under exemptions in the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The agency is seeking to explain its position to the court privately.
Tinubu has also joined the US government’s request for additional time to respond to the court proceedings.
Atiku’s latest intervention has added a political dimension to the ongoing legal dispute, coming as Nigeria’s 2027 election campaign gets underway. Atiku is expected to challenge Tinubu at the polls as the ADC presidential candidate.
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