The Deputy Spokesperson of the 10th House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has explained that the ongoing campaign by opposition parties for the release of alleged President Bola Tinubu’s drug trafficking case records with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, has gone beyond 2027 politics.
In a statement on Thursday, Agbese, an opposition lawmaker from Benue State, noted that the controversy could affect Nigeria’s collective image abroad.
He stressed that political disagreements ahead of the 2027 presidential election should not be pursued at the expense of the reputation and well-being of Nigerians living, working and doing business outside the country.
“This has gone beyond politics. When desperate politicians begin to export their political battles and package Nigeria as a country whose leadership is allegedly built around criminality, they are not hurting President Tinubu alone. They are damaging the image of every Nigerian who travels, studies, works, does business or seeks opportunities abroad,” Agbese said.
“Political competition is legitimate, but there must be a line that every responsible politician must refuse to cross. You cannot spend your time telling the world that your own country is being led by criminals simply because you want to defeat the person in power,” he stated.
Recall that former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, had hired Washington-based United States lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C to pursue the matter.
The firm’s managing partner, Karl Von Batten, has been at the forefront of the campaign for the release of Tinubu’s records with the FBI.
Recently, Karl Von Batten claimed that the Tinubu administration had allegedly offered a $3 million bribe to stop the probe involving Nigeria’s president.
Meanwhile, the Tinubu presidency has dismissed the claim made by Karl Von Batten.
Why Tinubu’s FBI records saga has gone beyond 2027 politics – Reps Deputy Spokesperson