Tinubu Presidency Dismisses U.S. Drug Allegations: ‘His Past Doesn’t Matter Now’

Fresh controversy is brewing once again over President Bola Tinubu past, as new legal moves in the United States bring old allegations back into the spotlight.

Questions around sealed documents and past investigations have sparked concern among critics, who worry about how it might affect Nigeria’s image on the global stage.

But Daniel Bwala, the President’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, isn’t having it—he’s calling the renewed attention a distraction fueled by political opponents, not facts.

Appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Bwala addressed the resurfaced claims related to alleged drug investigations from the 1990s involving Tinubu in Chicago.

He described the renewed interest as a “smokescreen” crafted by opposition figures.

“There is actually no issue in this thing,” Bwala said.
“Most of these documents have been in the public domain for years. The court even dismissed the idea of involving the CIA. As for the FBI and DEA, the court simply said: if there are unreleased documents, return on May 2 and make your case.”

He emphasized that nothing new has emerged and argued that the allegations hold no bearing on Tinubu’s presidency.

“These are optics, not facts,” Bwala stated.
“Whatever happened before he became president is not actionable. Nigerians were aware of these issues during the 2023 campaign and still elected him.”

Concerns Over APC Loyalty

Bwala also voiced concerns over growing disloyalty within the All Progressives Congress (APC), singling out Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South. He accused the senator of aligning ideologically with the opposition, despite remaining officially in the ruling party.

“Ndume’s spirit and soul are with the opposition coalition; only his body is still in the APC,” Bwala said, directing his warning to APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje.
“He is already gone. The party must be alert.”

He drew comparisons between Ndume and former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, who recently defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

“At least El-Rufai had the honour to leave openly. That’s more respectable than staying and undermining the party from within,” he added.

Addressing reports of a growing political coalition involving figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and El-Rufai, Bwala dismissed the movement as directionless and opportunistic.

“This is not a coalition built on national interest or ideology—it’s a desperate bid for power,” he said.
“They jump from SDP to PDP. No clear plan. No policy agenda. Just chaos.”

Tinubu Focused on Governance, Not 2027

Reacting to campaign billboards promoting a 2027 re-election bid for President Tinubu, Bwala said the presidency has no involvement and suggested they were the work of political mischief-makers.

“The president is focused on governance, not re-election. Any talk of 2027 is premature and not from this administration,” he clarified.

As May 2 approaches—a date set by a U.S. court for further hearings on potentially unsealed documents—attention remains on how the matter will unfold both legally and politically.

However, the presidency maintains that there is nothing new to reveal and insists that President Tinubu remains firmly committed to his current mandate.