The Atiku Media Office has renewed its criticism of President Bola Tinubu over allegations linked to a decades-old narcotics case in the United States, urging the President to allow full public scrutiny of his Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice records.
In a statement issued on Friday, the media office accused the Presidency of attempting to downplay the controversy through a recent response by Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, insisting that the issues surrounding the case had not been laid to rest.
The media office argued that the Presidency's position that the matter had long been settled did not erase public concerns over the allegations, maintaining that occupying the office of the President should not shield anyone from scrutiny.
It questioned why the administration was allegedly resisting moves to make available records relating to Tinubu's FBI and Department of Justice files if there was nothing to conceal.
According to the statement, the office of the President demands the highest standard of integrity because of its impact on Nigeria's international image and credibility.
The Atiku Media Office further contended that criminal investigations could be revisited where circumstances permit, noting that changes in political leadership in the United States could provide an opportunity for law enforcement authorities to review old cases where necessary.
It maintained that reopening the matter, if considered appropriate by the relevant authorities, would be in the interest of justice and accountability rather than a political attack.
The statement also urged Tinubu to cooperate with any legitimate process concerning the allegations instead of, as it claimed, relying on legal challenges and media responses to counter renewed public interest in the issue.
The Presidency had earlier defended the President against renewed references to the US narcotics case, maintaining that the matter had long been resolved.
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