There is a cloud of uncertainty in Nigeria as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is set to release long-awaited files today on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The anticipated release follows a ruling by Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., directing the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to disclose documents linked to a 1990s drug investigation in Chicago. The court order was issued in response to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by American legal researcher Aaron Greenspan.
According to the court, the documents in question—allegedly involving Tinubu and three others: Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Akande, and Abiodun Agbele—have been in the public domain for decades and are not expected to contain new revelations.
Yet, the news has ignited tension across the country, with opposition parties hoping for explosive content.
Reacting to the impending release, APC’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, derided critics.
“The FBI is not part of Nigeria’s governmental structure. Many of those in the opposition are clowns. They are suffering from post-election trauma,” Basiru stated.
“They’ll need psychiatrists. Nigerian law is clear on presidential qualifications. No one can be removed from office unless it’s in accordance with the Constitution. If they want the presidency, they should prepare for 2027 and meet us at the polls. For now, they’re just a bunch of comedians.”
President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also downplayed the development, saying government lawyers were studying the court order but expecting no surprises.
Meanwhile, opposition figures are voicing guarded anticipation.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, through his media aide Paul Ibe, noted the public’s long-standing curiosity.
“We will wait and see. Nigerians have been anxious ever since the issue was first raised in 1999 by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Now they want to see the full report. It’s understandable,” Ibe said.
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) advised the public to manage their expectations. Its National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, urged patience.
“There’s a Yoruba proverb that says a groom expecting his bride doesn’t need to stretch his neck. We should read the report before judging its impact. I think many people may end up disappointed—it may not contain anything spectacular,” he remarked.
But the Deputy National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Timothy Osadolor, warned that the files could reveal serious concerns.
“There’s anxiety because of the President’s efforts to keep the FBI files secret. I pray, for his sake, that the report is not damning. A conviction would violate the Constitution and disqualify him from contesting the election,” he said.
“I salute the U.S. government for deciding to release the documents. Nigerians deserve to know if the President has a clean, dark, or complicated past. That knowledge will shape national perception and determine what actions should follow,” Osadolor added.
He also urged Nigeria’s institutions to act accordingly if the report proves incriminating.
“The judiciary, the security agencies, and INEC must do the needful,” he added.
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