ADC slams Tinubu over $9m US lobbying deal, calls it “moral blindness”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration over its approval of a $9 million lobbying contract in the United States, accusing the government of prioritising image laundering abroad over addressing Nigeria’s worsening security and economic crises.
The party’s condemnation follows recent disclosures on the controversial lobbying deal, which has drawn widespread public debate.
In a statement posted on X, Bolaji Abdullahi, the national publicity secretary of the ADC, described the expenditure as unprecedented and unjustifiable.
“No government in Africa has ever committed such an obscene sum to a short-term public relations exercise,” Abdullahi said.
“While the ADC recognises the importance of representing Nigeria’s interests internationally, spending $9 million on image management at a time when millions of Nigerians cannot afford food, fuel, or basic healthcare is a clear case of misplaced priorities and moral blindness.”
Abdullahi further argued that the decision amounted to an admission of diplomatic failure, noting that key ambassadorial positions remain vacant.
“This decision is also an admission of diplomatic failure. A government that has left key ambassadorial positions vacant now seeks to outsource diplomacy to lobbyists, further weakening Nigeria’s institutional credibility and reducing foreign policy to transactional propaganda,” he added.
Daily Times had earlier reported that the Tinubu administration approved the $9 million lobbying contract with a Republican-linked firm in Washington in an effort to placate United States President Donald Trump and avert further military actions and diplomatic measures that could harm Nigeria’s international standing and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
An investigative report published on Tuesday by The Africa Report revealed that Nigeria’s national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, facilitated the engagement of the US lobbying firm, DCI Group, through a Kaduna-based law firm, Aster Legal.
The contract is reportedly aimed at persuading the Trump administration and key US lawmakers that Nigeria is taking concrete steps to address insecurity, particularly the killings of Christians in the country’s northern region.
