A former lawmaker of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has dismissed claims that the United States has reopened a drug-trafficking case against President Bola Tinubu.
Oyintiloye described the claim as political propaganda meant to distract Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement on Sunday, he said no US court had reopened or ordered a criminal retrial against Tinubu, adding that no American judge had found the President guilty of drug trafficking.
According to him, the controversy arose from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit seeking access to records held by US law-enforcement agencies.
He explained that the FOIA case was an information-access proceeding and not a criminal prosecution or retrial involving the President.
Oyintiloye urged political leaders to provide Nigerians with accurate information on the matter and avoid claims that could confuse the legal proceedings in the United States.
‘An FOIA case is about access to government records. It is not a criminal trial, a retrial or a judicial declaration of guilt,’ he said.
Oyintiloye said the existence of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) records should not automatically be interpreted as proof of criminality.
He added that investigative files could contain unproven allegations, leads, or information supplied by third parties.
The APC chieftain also cited FOIA Exemption 7(C), which protects certain law-enforcement information where disclosure could constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
Oyintiloye therefore urged Nigerians and the media to avoid what he described as ‘trial by document.’
He said the controversy was part of a recurring pattern of allegations against Tinubu, particularly at every critical point in his political career.
The former lawmaker noted that Tinubu had spent decades in Nigeria’s political space and had faced several controversies during that period.
He recalled that allegations concerning Tinubu’s academic credentials generated extensive public and media debate during his two-term tenure as Lagos State Governor between 1999 and 2007, while similar allegations resurfaced during the 2023 presidential campaign.
Oyintiloye accused opposition elements of ‘recycling allegations bordering on certificate forgery, criminality and drug trafficking instead of engaging Nigerians on substantive issues of governance.’
He challenged them to offer credible alternatives through clear policies and programmes that can improve the lives of Nigerians.
The APC chieftain said Nigeria’s democracy should move beyond personality attacks and campaigns of calumny.
He also said politicians should be judged on their ideas, manifestoes, records, and performance, urging Nigerians to scrutinise political claims and distinguish between allegations, investigations, charges, and convictions.
‘Privacy is not a crime. An investigation is not a conviction. A document is not automatically a fact simply because it bears the seal of a government agency.
‘The opposition should tell us their manifesto, not resort to blackmail. Tell Nigerians what you have on the table and why they should vote for you,’ he said.