Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI to release records relating to President Bola Tinubu, arguing that citing danger to lives cannot justify withholding information that can lawfully be made public.
The FBI had asked a US district court in Columbia for permission to submit ex parte, in camera declarations explaining why it withheld some records linked to allegations of drug trafficking involving Tinubu.
In an application dated August 20, the agency said it could not publicly disclose all the reasons for withholding certain information.
Reacting in a statement issued Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku questioned the FBI’s justification.
The FBI says disclosure could endanger lives. Which lives? Nigerians are already dying, he said.
Atiku linked the hardship to the removal of fuel subsidy, saying it had driven up transportation, food and energy costs while hurting jobs and family incomes.
Fuel affects transportation. Transportation affects food prices. Energy affects production. Production affects jobs. All of them determine whether an ordinary Nigerian family can survive until the end of the month, he said.
He reiterated his pledge to reverse the subsidy removal if elected.
Atiku said he was not asking the FBI to expose confidential sources, undercover agents or investigative methods, but to release information that can lawfully be disclosed.
Protect your agents. Protect your sources. Protect legitimate investigative methods. Redact whatever American law genuinely requires you to redact. But do not stretch those protections until they become a bulletproof vest for Tinubu, he said.
He described the request as a democratic appeal, not interference in Nigeria’s affairs, insisting that Nigerians deserve information about their leaders.
