A senior aide to President Bola Tinubu, Fredrick Nwabufo, has criticised Peter Obi over the former Anambra State governor’s comments on an ongoing legal dispute involving the president in a United States district court.
Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had criticised Tinubu’s decision to oppose the release of records linked to investigations involving him in the US.
Tinubu, who joined the case as an intervenor, asked the court to reject a motion by Aaron Greenspan seeking the release of additional records. The president argued that some of the documents are protected by privacy provisions under US law.
He also urged the court to allow the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to continue withholding certain records and maintaining redactions in documents already released.
In a statement titled *“A President and the Endless Question of His Past”*, Obi questioned Tinubu’s handling of the case and argued that issues concerning the president’s past should be addressed rather than shielded from public scrutiny.
Nwabufo, senior special assistant to the president on public engagement, responded in a post on X on Monday, describing Obi’s position as “ludicrous.”
The presidential aide maintained that allegations surrounding Tinubu’s past had been investigated and dismissed. He described the claims as false and libellous and said the matter had previously been considered by the courts.
Nwabufo also turned his criticism to Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, accusing him of poor administration.
According to the presidential aide, Obi’s tenure was marked by religious divisions, insecurity, industrial disputes involving workers in key sectors, alleged extra-judicial killings and inadequate infrastructure.
“Your past, Mr Obi, particularly as governor of Anambra, is a chequered and inglorious one,” Nwabufo said, adding that he witnessed Obi’s administration while he was completing his university education.
Nwabufo further challenged Obi to present what he described as a stronger record to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections.
“What else do you have to show Nigerians to entrust their mandate?” he asked.
The exchange comes as political activity ahead of the 2027 general election intensifies, with leading political figures increasingly scrutinising the records and past conduct of potential presidential contenders.
