A former Mayor of Blanco, Texas, Mike Arnold, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu and Washington-based lobbying firm, DCI Group, of allegedly breaching United States and Nigerian laws.
Arnold made the allegations in a Facebook post on Monday, claiming that the Nigerian government pays DCI Group $750,000 monthly under an agreement registered with the United States Department of Justice.
He alleged that the contract was intended to promote the Nigerian government’s position before US officials and policymakers, particularly its efforts to protect Christian communities and combat jihadist groups.
However, Arnold claimed that DCI Group had gone beyond the scope of the agreement by engaging in social media activities targeting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is regarded as a potential challenger to Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He cited posts allegedly linked to the lobbying firm that questioned Atiku’s ability to secure a US visa and ridiculed the former vice president over his travel documents.
According to Arnold, such activities appeared unrelated to the stated purpose of DCI Group’s engagement with the Nigerian government.
He compared the arrangement with Atiku’s reported engagement of another Washington-based lobbying firm for $1.2m, saying its registration documents indicated that the firm was acting on behalf of the former vice president and against the Nigerian government.
Arnold further raised concerns over possible implications of the alleged activities under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act, particularly if political activities conducted for a foreign principal were not properly declared.
“In the United States, leaving political work off a FARA filing is not a typo. It can be charged as a felony if they did it on purpose,” he said.
The former mayor also alleged that using public funds to finance activities directed at a political opponent could run contrary to provisions of Nigeria’s Electoral Act relating to the use of state resources to support or undermine political candidates.
Arnold said the agreement between the Nigerian government and DCI Group, alongside the firm’s public communications, could be examined to establish whether the alleged activities complied with applicable laws.
He subsequently called on relevant law enforcement authorities in Nigeria and the United States to investigate the allegations.
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