An chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, has said Nigerians would ultimately determine whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves to remain in office beyond 2027, following renewed controversy over alleged United States law-enforcement records concerning the President.
Eze, who reacted to a report alleging that Tinubu had approached a United States court to prevent the release of records relating to past investigations, said the controversy had raised fresh questions about the President’s political future and his suitability to continue in office.
He urged Nigerians to critically examine the issues surrounding the reported legal proceedings and make an informed decision at the 2027 presidential election.
According to Eze, “with acceptance by Tinubu that he has a drug case at USA, it is left to Nigerians to decide if such a character can still be the President of this country.”
He added: “May God grant us small wisdom to save our dear nation.”
The ADC chieftain’s comments followed a report attributed to Von Batten-Montague-York L.C., a Washington-based lobbying firm representing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, which claimed that lawyers acting for Tinubu had filed submissions before a United States court seeking to prevent the release of law-enforcement records requested under the Freedom of Information Act.
The report alleged that the records being sought from the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were connected to past alleged heroin-trafficking investigations.
It further claimed that Tinubu’s legal representatives invoked privacy considerations and argued against disclosure of the records, while maintaining that efforts to obtain them were politically motivated and could be used to influence Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election.
However, the lobbying firm reportedly did not publish the complete court filing alongside its statement, making it impossible to independently examine the precise wording, legal arguments and context of the alleged submission from the material cited in the report.
Tinubu and his representatives have, over time, rejected allegations and claims by political opponents concerning his past, maintaining that attempts to obtain or publicise foreign records are politically motivated.
The latest controversy is unfolding against the backdrop of an increasingly charged political environment ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition political actors intensifying scrutiny of the records and antecedents of political office holders and prospective candidates.
Eze maintained that the controversy should not be treated merely as a partisan confrontation but as an issue requiring Nigerians to examine available facts before making their electoral choices.
He urged citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote based on credible information, integrity and the overall national interest.
The ADC chieftain also called for what he described as “small wisdom” among Nigerians in determining the direction of the country, stressing that the 2027 election would provide the electorate with an opportunity to pass judgment on the performance, character and suitability of those seeking their mandate.
