Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the FBI’s position that some records relating to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should remain confidential, calling for the release of any information that can legally be made public.
Atiku’s response followed the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s request to a US federal court for permission to submit confidential explanations for withholding portions of investigative material connected to Tinubu.
The FBI has argued that disclosure of some information could potentially endanger lives.
Atiku challenges secrecy argument
Through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku questioned the justification for withholding the records.
The ADC presidential candidate argued that information capable of being legally disclosed should be made available to the public.
His camp also questioned the reference to potential threats to individuals, asking who exactly could be endangered by the release of the information.
Atiku’s intervention adds a political dimension to an already sensitive legal dispute involving records held by a US federal law-enforcement agency.
Dispute centres on withheld records
The FBI’s position is part of a wider legal battle over access to records concerning Tinubu.
The agency has sought permission to provide confidential declarations to explain why certain investigative materials were withheld rather than simply placing those explanations in the public record.
The argument reflects the tension between public access to government records and the protection of information that authorities say could compromise individuals or investigations.
Atiku has used the development to renew calls for transparency.
His camp maintains that Nigerians should have access to information that can lawfully be released, particularly given Tinubu’s status as President and his candidacy for another term in 2027.
Issue enters 2027 political contest
The dispute is unfolding as the presidential campaign gathers momentum.
Atiku, who is contesting the 2027 presidential election on the ADC platform, is one of the principal challengers to Tinubu.
The FBI records controversy is therefore likely to remain part of the political conversation, although the mere existence of withheld records does not by itself establish wrongdoing by the President.
For now, the legal question remains whether the court will accept the FBI’s request to keep portions of the material confidential and what information, if any, will ultimately become public.