The African Democratic Congress has strongly criticised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over reports that the Federal Government approved a $9 million contract for lobbying services in the United States.
Describing the reported approval as scandalous and indefensible, the party said no amount of paid lobbying could conceal what it described as the government’s failure to protect lives and property across the country.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC characterised the alleged contract as an effort to launder the government’s image abroad while Nigerians continue to face worsening insecurity and economic hardship.
The party argued that the reported expenditure reflects misplaced priorities, particularly at a time when thousands of Nigerians have been killed and millions are struggling to meet basic needs.
ADC further condemned the Tinubu administration for, in its view, deploying limited public resources to burnish its international image rather than confronting the country’s deepening security and economic challenges.
“No government in Africa has ever committed such an obscene sum to a short-term public relations exercise. While the ADC recognises the importance of representing Nigeria’s interests internationally, spending $9 million on image management at a time when millions of Nigerians cannot afford food, fuel, or basic healthcare is a clear case of misplaced priorities and moral blindness.
“This decision is also an admission of diplomatic failure. A government that has left key ambassadorial positions vacant now seeks to outsource diplomacy to lobbyists, further weakening Nigeria’s institutional credibility and reducing foreign policy to transactional propaganda.
“More troubling is the illusion that paid lobbying in Washington can erase the reality of mass killings, widespread insecurity, and state failure at home. No amount of image laundering can wash away the blood of thousands of Nigerians killed under this administration’s watch.
“Lobbying to impress foreign leaders cannot substitute for a coherent strategy to end the bloodbath. A president who declares a state of emergency on security and then proceeds on foreign holidays cannot be rescued by public relations firms.
“Equally dangerous is the framing of this lobbying effort as a campaign to ‘communicate Christian protection efforts.’ This risks deepening sectarian tensions and politicising security in a country already strained by religious and ethnic fault lines. Security failures affect all Nigerians, regardless of faith, and cannot be addressed through selective messaging abroad instead of justice, accountability, and effective governance at home,” the ADC said.
The party maintained that the country does not require propaganda, insisting instead on responsible governance.
It added, “Nigeria needs leadership. Resources should be spent protecting lives, restoring trust in state institutions, and rebuilding a country in distress, not polishing the image of a government that has failed its most basic responsibility: the protection of lives and property.”
Meanwhile, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, warned the Federal Government that addressing real issues rather than optics would ultimately serve it better, noting that lobbyists could offer no real assistance.
Ememobong said, “The perception of a country primarily stems from its citizens. If you want your perception index to improve, you simply treat your citizens well. We have students — advanced students — in the United States who can readily tell Americans what is happening. Their observations, opinions and experiences carry weight and significantly influence international perspectives.
“And we are living in a global community where, through social media, anyone seeking to know what is happening in your country can find out instantly, accurately and widely.
“So, the lobbying contract is just wasted money. It is a conduit pipe; it is going down the drain. It cannot be efficacious and is therefore most condemnable.
Also reacting, the NNPP Publicity Secretary argued that with Nigerians grappling with rising inflation, unemployment, insecurity and declining living standards, the government should focus its resources on domestic challenges rather than external public relations campaigns.
Johnson said, “I don’t even know where to begin. It shows the misplaced priorities of this government. In the given economic circumstances, it is in bad taste.
“What the government should be doing is posting ambassadors. If you had a proper full-time ambassador — I’m not sure if they have one now — communication and diplomatic relations would have been easier. President Tinubu has been in government for about three years, and this reflects part of the problem.
“It is sad and unfortunate that in these circumstances, you are paying for lobbyists. There are times when you need lobbyists, and I understand that, but this is not one of such occasions. If security were being handled properly, they would know. They have the CIA, intelligence gathering and information networks. You would not need lobbyists, because they cannot and will not change anything.”
