Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has renewed calls for the release of United States Federal Bureau of Investigation records relating to President Bola Tinubu, arguing that the documents should be made public if they contain no damaging information.
Ibe’s latest position comes amid renewed controversy over historical US law-enforcement records concerning Tinubu and an investigation dating back to the 1990s.
The Atiku aide questioned why documents relating to the matter should remain confidential if they do not contain information capable of implicating the Nigerian president.
His comments form part of a wider demand from Atiku’s camp for greater transparency regarding records held by American authorities.
The former vice president, who is preparing to contest the 2027 presidential election under the African Democratic Congress, has repeatedly argued that Nigerians have a legitimate interest in information concerning the background of anyone occupying the presidency.
The controversy intensified after the FBI told a US federal court that releasing some records could potentially expose individuals connected to investigations to threats or danger. The agency has sought permission to explain some of its reasons for withholding material privately from the public record.
Ibe’s position, however, is that legitimate security concerns should not be used to prevent the disclosure of information that can lawfully be released.
The records have attracted particular attention because of their connection to a historical US investigation involving allegations of narcotics-related activity. Tinubu has denied wrongdoing, while the matter has remained a recurring subject of political debate in Nigeria.
Atiku himself recently urged the FBI to release any records that can legally be disclosed, while protecting confidential sources, investigators and genuinely sensitive information.
The dispute has gained additional significance as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections. Atiku’s supporters view disclosure as an issue of accountability, while Tinubu’s camp has rejected suggestions that the historical records establish wrongdoing.
For now, the legal process in the United States will determine what portions of the requested records can be made public. Until then, claims surrounding the documents remain politically contested and should not be treated as established evidence of criminal conduct.
