Atiku's Aide Clashes With Shehu Sani Over US Lobbying Against Tinubu

A public disagreement has erupted between Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Kaduna Central senator Shehu Sani over the opposition's decision to engage a United States lobbying firm to seek the release of documents relating to President Bola Tinubu's alleged drug trafficking case. The exchange followed reports that Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a Washington-based lobbying firm hired by Atiku, had begun distributing U.S. Department of Justice records to officials in the Donald Trump administration, members of Congress and senior congressional aides.

Shehu Sani criticised the move in a post on X, describing it as "unconscionable and unpatriotic." He argued that engaging foreign lobbyists to portray the Nigerian President and his administration negatively could damage Nigeria's international reputation and expose the country to diplomatic consequences without achieving any meaningful political objective.

Responding, Paul Ibe rejected Sani's criticism, insisting that the lobbying effort was aimed at promoting accountability and transparency rather than undermining Nigeria. He maintained that seeking the release of public records through lawful means was a legitimate democratic process and accused Sani of defending actions that deserved public scrutiny.

The exchange comes amid heightened political tensions ahead of the 2027 general election, with opposition figures intensifying efforts to challenge the Tinubu administration both domestically and internationally. The lobbying campaign has continued to generate debate over the role of foreign advocacy in Nigeria's political affairs.