The All Progressives Congress on Thursday dismissed critics and opposition figures anticipating damaging revelations from the planned release of files by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration on President Bola Tinubu’s past, labeling them “clowns.”
On April 12, it was reported that a U.S. court had ordered the FBI and DEA to release files on Tinubu by May 2. The court maintained that the records—linked to a drug trafficking investigation in Chicago in the early 1990s—have been publicly available for over 30 years and pose no new threat to the President’s standing.
This order followed a ruling by Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., who directed the agencies to search for and process non-exempt documents in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by American legal researcher Aaron Greenspan.
A copy of the ruling, obtained on Sunday, indicated that the FOIA request related to a narcotics ring allegedly involving Tinubu and three others: Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.
Despite growing anticipation, the Presidency insists there will be no surprises in the files.
President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that government lawyers are reviewing the U.S. court’s order but emphasized that the documents are unlikely to offer any new revelations.
Greenspan, who runs the transparency platform PlainSite, had submitted 12 FOIA requests between 2022 and 2023 seeking information about the early 1990s Chicago drug case.
Until recently, the FBI and DEA had issued “Glomar responses”—neither confirming nor denying the existence of related records. But the court ruled these responses unjustified, requiring the agencies to release any relevant, non-exempt materials.
With the release expected Friday, anxiety has intensified across social media platforms, where Nigerians have spent the week speculating about possible outcomes.
Key opposition figures have weighed in on the matter, expressing a range of expectations.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, through his media aide Paul Ibe, said Nigerians are eager to see the report’s contents.
“We will wait and see. Nigerians have been anxious ever since the issue was first raised in 1999 by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Now they want to see the full report. It’s understandable,” Ibe said.
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) also reacted with caution. Its National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, urged Nigerians to temper their expectations.
“There’s a Yoruba proverb that says a groom expecting his bride doesn’t need to stretch his neck. We should read the report before judging its impact. I think many people may end up disappointed—it may not contain anything spectacular,” he said.
But the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, took a different stance, warning that the release may expose the true nature of Nigeria’s President.
“There’s anxiety because of the President’s efforts to keep the FBI files secret. I pray, for his sake, that the report is not damning. A conviction would violate the Constitution and disqualify him from contesting the election,” Osadolor stated.
He added that the report should be a wake-up call for future leaders on the importance of transparency, describing it as the “hallmark of credible leadership.”
Osadolor questioned why a man alleged to have spent years concealing past investigations would still seek re-election in 2027.
“I salute the U.S. government for deciding to release the documents. Nigerians deserve to know if the President has a clean, dark, or complicated past. That knowledge will shape national perception and determine what actions should follow,” he said.
He further called on the Nigerian judiciary, security agencies, and electoral bodies to “do the needful” if the report contains incriminating evidence.
Meanwhile, the APC’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, dismissed the opposition’s reactions as melodrama.
Describing critics as “comedians,” Basiru emphasized that Nigerian laws—not foreign files—determine who qualifies to be President.
“The FBI is not part of Nigeria’s governmental structure. Many of those in the opposition are clowns. They are suffering from post-election trauma,” he said.
“They’ll need psychiatrists. Nigerian law is clear on presidential qualifications. No one can be removed from office unless it’s in accordance with the Constitution.
“If they want the presidency, they should prepare for 2027 and meet us at the polls. For now, they’re just a bunch of comedians.”
