President Bola Tinubu finds himself once again attempting to prevent the disclosure of records pertaining to him by various United States agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
According to court documents obtained by PulseNets, legal representatives for Mr. Tinubu in the United States have submitted motions to participate in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against these U.S. organizations. These records are believed to contain information that could shed light on the President’s true identity and his extensive activities over several decades.
Christopher Carmichael, one of the lawyers who previously represented Mr. Tinubu in a case involving records in Chicago, filed this motion on October 18, 2023. The motion indicated that Mr. Carmichael is a duly accredited attorney who wishes to participate in the FOIA lawsuit currently in progress in Washington D.C.
“In accordance with Civil Local Rule 83.2(c), Bryan A. Carey requests the admission and appearance of attorney Christopher Carmichael pro hac vice in the aforementioned case,” stated Mr. Carey, who practices law in D.C. “This motion is supported by Christopher Carmichael’s declaration, confirming his active membership in good standing.”
It remains unclear why Mr. Tinubu believes he can prevent U.S. agencies from complying with federal disclosure regulations. Mr. Carmichael did not respond immediately to requests for comments, and Oluwole Afolabi, the President’s lead attorney in the U.S., declined to comment on the case until it officially commences. The legal team is working diligently to present a comprehensive argument before the October 31 deadline.
President Tinubu became aware of the lawsuit after PulseNets reported on September 11 that the FBI had agreed to release approximately 2,500 pages of responsive information about the Nigerian leader. The President had previously been investigated for involvement in narcotics trafficking in the U.S. during the 1990s, during which he was compelled to forfeit $460,000 through a federal court order in Chicago.
The FBI stated its intention to release these records by the end of October to Aaron Greenspan, the owner of PlainSite, a website dedicated to promoting anti-corruption and transparency in public service. Additionally, several other U.S. agencies, including the U.S. State Department, Internal Revenue Service, and Drug Enforcement Administration, have indicated their readiness to release thousands of pages of records related to Bola Tinubu.
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This move by Mr. Tinubu comes on the heels of his recent unsuccessful attempt to block a federal court in Chicago from disclosing his academic records to Atiku Abubakar, his main political rival in Nigeria. The educational institution eventually released the records, revealing that a certain Bola Tinubu was admitted in 1977. However, they also stated under oath that they could not authenticate the certificate he used for his 2022 election campaign in Nigeria.
Further details will be provided shortly.
