The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has responded to the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its criticism of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, redirecting attention to President Bola Tinubu's past legal and financial issues. The ADC's Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, issued a statement on September 25, 2026, challenging the APC's spokesman, Felix Morka, to provide legal proof for his allegations against Atiku.
ADC Questions APC's Allegations Against Atiku
Shaibu argued that Morka's attacks on Atiku lack judicial backing, stating that an allegation should not be treated as a conviction. "Strip away the gutter language and his argument is simple: an allegation against Atiku must be treated as a conviction," Shaibu said. The ADC urged the APC to either identify a court that has convicted Atiku or publish the judgment to substantiate its claims.
The ADC also pointed to a US forfeiture case involving Tinubu, noting that the APC's warning about Atiku's access to national funds was ironic. The case, which concluded with the forfeiture of $460,000 from an account linked to Tinubu, was tied to narcotics trafficking allegations. The ADC highlighted that the proceedings involved a sworn affidavit in a US federal court describing financial connections between Tinubu and Adegboyega Mueez Akande, a key figure in the narcotics case.
Details of Tinubu's US Forfeiture Case
According to the ADC, the affidavit showed that Akande introduced Tinubu to First Heritage Bank, and shortly after, $80,000 was transferred into Tinubu's account through a link to Akande. Tinubu then purchased a $5,000 cashier's cheque made out to Akande's wife. A company named Compass Finance, which Tinubu controlled, also listed Akande and Abiodun Agbele as directors. The ADC further noted that a US federal court ruled in 2025 that the Department of Justice formally acknowledged Tinubu as a subject of a criminal investigation involving the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Educational Records and Foreign Reserves Under Scrutiny
Shaibu also challenged the APC to explain inconsistencies in Tinubu's educational records. A college application document lists Government College Lagos as the school Tinubu graduated from in 1970, but the school's old boys' association states the institution was founded in 1974. This discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy of Tinubu's academic history.
On economic matters, the ADC refuted Morka's claim that Tinubu raised Nigeria's foreign reserves from $3 billion to over $54 billion. The Central Bank of Nigeria reported foreign reserves of $34.39 billion at the end of May 2023, the month Tinubu took office. Shaibu accused Morka of deleting more than $31 billion from what Tinubu inherited, calling the claim a fabricated "miracle."
No Conviction in Mambilla and US Senate Reports
The ADC also addressed the Mambilla arbitration and the 2010 US Senate report cited by Morka against Atiku, stating that neither produced a conviction or a finding of criminal guilt. "If he claims there is a conviction, let him identify the court and publish the judgment," Shaibu said. The ADC's response comes after the APC warned Nigerians against voting for Atiku in the 2027 election, citing alleged corruption records, including the Siemens bribery scandal and a US Senate investigation into suspicious funds. The APC also criticized Atiku's promise to restore fuel subsidies, linking it to an alleged attempt to access Nigeria's foreign reserves.
