2027: APC Chieftain Accuses Opposition of Recycling Allegations Against Tinubu

All Progressives Congress chieftain in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has accused opposition politicians of reviving old allegations against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Oyintiloye made the claim on Sunday in Osogbo while speaking with journalists, arguing that recent claims about the United States reopening a drug-trafficking case against the President were being used for political purposes.

The former lawmaker said there was no evidence that a United States court had reopened a criminal case against Tinubu or ordered him to face a fresh trial over drug trafficking allegations. He also said no American judge had found the President guilty of such an offence.

Oyintiloye explained that the legal matter currently attracting attention in the United States relates to a Freedom of Information Act case. He said the case concerns requests for access to records held by US government agencies and should not be presented as a criminal prosecution against Tinubu.

According to the APC chieftain, the existence of records relating to Tinubu in the possession of agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration does not by itself prove that a crime was committed. He noted that law enforcement files can contain allegations, leads, reports from other people or information gathered during investigations without any of such material amounting to proof of criminal guilt.

He also referred to the privacy protections contained in FOIA Exemption 7(C), which can allow some law enforcement records to remain undisclosed where releasing them could amount to an unjustified invasion of personal privacy.

Oyintiloye therefore cautioned Nigerians and the media against drawing conclusions from individual documents without considering the circumstances in which they were created and their legal status. He argued that the presence of a government record should not automatically be treated as proof that every claim contained in it is true.

The APC chieftain said the current controversy was part of a pattern in which allegations concerning Tinubu’s background have resurfaced at different stages of his political career. He recalled that the President had faced various controversies during his years in Nigerian politics, including questions about his educational qualifications while he served as Lagos State governor between 1999 and 2007.

He further said similar issues were raised during the 2023 presidential campaign, when opposition politicians and groups made allegations relating to Tinubu’s certificates, alleged criminal conduct and drug trafficking. Oyintiloye accused political opponents of bringing back such claims instead of concentrating on policies and the performance of the government.

He urged opposition parties and their candidates to offer Nigerians clear alternatives ahead of the 2027 elections. Rather than focusing mainly on accusations against Tinubu, he said political parties should explain their programmes and present practical plans for addressing the country’s economic and social challenges.

Oyintiloye also called on the public to distinguish between an allegation, an investigation and a conviction. He argued that an investigation does not establish guilt and that information contained in an investigative record may require further verification before it can be treated as fact.

He said Nigerians should judge political parties and candidates based on their policies, manifestos, past records and ability to provide solutions to the country’s problems. He maintained that political campaigns should focus more on what candidates intend to do for citizens than on personal attacks against their opponents.

The development comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with supporters of the ruling APC and opposition parties increasingly trading accusations over the records and suitability of their respective candidates.

Oyintiloye’s comments are his political assessment of the controversy. The claims concerning the US legal proceedings and the allegations against Tinubu remain matters that should be determined from official court records and other verified evidence rather than political statements.