By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has urged the United States authorities to release the findings of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) report on alleged drug-trafficking records linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying efforts to keep the report from the public heighten suspicion of guilt and desperation for a cover-up.
The party said the FBI findings should not remain entirely hidden simply because some portions may be sensitive, arguing that information that does not endanger lives or compromise investigative methods can still be made public.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Abubakar, the APM said the US authorities could release portions of the report while protecting witnesses, investigators and sensitive investigative techniques.
“The APM notes that the US authorities can release aspects of the report that will not endanger lives, expose witnesses, investigators or techniques used in the investigation,” Abubakar said.
The party said keeping the matter under wraps could have wider consequences for Nigeria, beyond the political controversy surrounding the President.
“The APM urges the United States authorities to note that withholding such information is of enormous harm to Nigeria’s security, national integrity and Democratic growth,” it said.
The APM also called on Washington to uphold transparency in the international fight against drug trafficking and corruption, stressing that the controversy has assumed international significance because Tinubu is a major contender in the 2027 presidential election.
It said the allegations continue to damage Nigeria’s image globally, pointing to the 1993 $460,000 forfeiture judgment by the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois involving accounts traced to Tinubu after an investigation into drug-related transactions.
The party went further, arguing that the judgment has implications for Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the presidency under Section 137 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
“The effect of the $460,000 forfeiture judgement is that by virtue of section 137 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), President Tinubu remains ineligible for election in Nigeria,” the APM said.
It also invoked Nigeria’s obligations under international agreements dealing with drugs and money laundering, without elaborating on the specific conventions it had in mind. With the 2027 presidential election drawing closer, the APM said Nigerians should have access to information relevant to their choice of a presidential candidate.
“Against the backdrop of the coming Presidential election, the APM urges the United States authorities to assist Nigerians in their decision to elect a leader with clean records and not an individual encumbered by drug-related allegations and corruption cases,” the party said.
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