Reps deputy spokesman cautions opposition on Nigeria's image

The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has urged United States President Donald Trump to ignore what he calls politically driven lobbying over past US law enforcement records about President Bola Tinubu.

Agbese also warned opposition politicians against damaging Nigeria’s image internationally in their quest for political gain ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The lawmaker from Benue spoke to reporters in Abuja on Thursday. He reacted to recent lobbying in Washington aimed at getting US officials and Congress members to focus on allegations against Tinubu.

Agbese said political disputes should not come at the cost of Nigeria’s reputation or the well-being of Nigerians living, working, and doing business abroad.

He said, “This has gone beyond politics. When desperate politicians begin to export their political battles and package Nigeria as a country whose leadership is allegedly built around criminality, they are not hurting President Tinubu alone.

“They are damaging the image of every Nigerian who travels, studies, works, does business or seeks opportunities abroad.”

Agbese urged Trump and his administration to consider the motives and credibility of those claiming to advocate for Nigeria before acting on information provided through political lobbying.

“We call on President Trump and his administration to ignore elements whose new responsibility appears to be blackmailing the Federal Government of Nigeria and, by extension, the Nigerian people who are earnestly earning a living abroad.

“America and Nigeria have a relationship that is far bigger than the ambitions of desperate politicians. That relationship should be built around security, trade, investment, development and the mutual interests of both countries, not opposition-sponsored campaigns designed to influence Washington against Nigeria,” he said.

Agbese continued, saying opposition politicians can criticize the Federal Government and challenge the policies of the Tinubu administration. But he insisted that foreign governments and institutions should not be used to settle local political disputes.

The deputy spokesman further warned the Federal Government not to be distracted by what he called politically motivated attempts to create international controversy around the President as the 2027 elections approach.

“Political competition is legitimate, but there must be a line that every responsible politician must refuse to cross. You cannot spend your time telling the world that your own country is being led by criminals simply because you want to defeat the person in power.

“At some point, you must ask what happens to the Nigerian student seeking admission, the entrepreneur looking for an international partner, the professional applying for a job and the millions of Nigerians whose identity is tied to this country,” he said.

Agbese also questioned the use of old documents from a civil forfeiture case to define Nigeria’s current political leadership, especially as these materials are being shared with the 2027 elections in mind.

He said Nigerians should worry about the broader effects of political campaigns that portray the country negatively before foreign governments and international institutions.

He said, “We must stop treating Nigeria’s international reputation as collateral damage in our political contests. Whoever wins an election will still inherit the same country, and whoever loses will remain a Nigerian.

“You cannot destroy the country’s reputation today and expect ordinary Nigerians to escape the consequences tomorrow. The damage will show up in business relationships, immigration decisions, investment opportunities and the treatment of our citizens abroad.”

Agbese said the House of Representatives will keep defending Nigeria’s national interest while encouraging political actors to settle their disagreements through the country’s democratic and judicial systems.

This development comes just two days after the Presidency dismissed reports and lobbying activities surrounding calls for the release of historical US law enforcement records about Tinubu, calling the campaign politically motivated.

The Presidency also criticized a Washington-based lobbying firm reportedly hired by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar regarding the release of the records. They claimed this was aimed at creating political controversy ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, stated the Presidency’s stance in a statement issued on Tuesday. The statement was titled, “Speculation as Classified Information: Atiku’s $1.2 million Lobbying Gamble Exposed.”

Dare accused the Washington-based Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., of presenting political claims as intelligence reports and trying to create the impression that its statements represented the position of the United States government.