By Obinna Uballa
Opposition parties including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Labour Party (LP) have criticised the Bola Tinubu administration over reports that the Federal Government approved a $9 million contract for lobbying services in the United States, accusing the government of misplaced priorities amid worsening insecurity and economic hardship.
The New Diplomat had reported the spending on Wednesday, detailing how the federal government outspent pro-Biafra agitators in the Washington lobbying war.
Meanwhile, the parties said the alleged deal reflected an attempt by the administration to polish Nigeria’s image abroad while citizens at home continue to grapple with rising inflation, unemployment and persistent insecurity.
The criticism comes as controversy continues to trail the development, with many Nigerians accusing the government of wasteful spending at a time of deep economic crisis, even as some government supporters argue that the lobbying effort is necessary to protect Nigeria’s international reputation.
Documents reportedly filed with the United States Department of Justice showed that a Kaduna-based law firm, Aster Legal, retained the U.S. public affairs and lobbying firm, DCI Group, under a $9 million contract on behalf of the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The agreement was said to have been signed on December 17, 2025, by Oyetunji Olalekan Teslim, managing partner of Aster Legal, and Justin Peterson, managing member of DCI Group.
The lobbying engagement is understood to be aimed at communicating the Federal Government’s efforts to address insecurity and protect Christians in Nigeria to the U.S. government, following repeated claims by former United States President Donald Trump that Christians were facing genocide in Nigeria, allegations the Federal Government has consistently denied.
Reacting in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the alleged $9 million expenditure as “outrageous” and evidence of moral blindness.
The party said no amount of paid lobbying could conceal the reality of killings, widespread insecurity and the government’s failure to protect lives and property.
“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,” the statement said.
According to the ADC, the move amounted to an admission of diplomatic failure, noting that key ambassadorial positions remain vacant while the government opts to outsource diplomacy to foreign lobbyists.
“No amount of image laundering can wash away the blood of thousands of Nigerians killed under this administration’s watch. Lobbying in Washington cannot substitute for a coherent strategy to end the bloodshed at home,” the party added.
The ADC also warned that framing the lobbying effort around religious protection risked deepening sectarian tensions in an already fragile country.
Similarly, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, faulted the alleged contract, accusing the Tinubu administration of prioritising optics over governance.
In an interview, Ememobong said a country’s global image is shaped primarily by how well it treats its citizens, not by paid lobbyists.
“The perception of a country stems from its people. If you want your image to improve, treat your citizens well,” he said, adding that social media and the Nigerian diaspora already provide the world with real-time information about conditions in the country.
Describing the lobbying deal as a waste of public funds, Ememobong said, “It is money going down the drain. It reinforces what we have consistently said – that this government is more interested in appearances than reality.”
The NNPP also condemned the alleged contract, with its National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, calling it “sad and unfortunate” given Nigeria’s current economic challenges.
Johnson argued that appointing and deploying ambassadors would be a more effective and appropriate means of managing Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements.
“With rising inflation, unemployment and insecurity, this shows misplaced priorities. If security were being handled properly, foreign governments would know through their own intelligence networks. You do not need lobbyists to tell them,” he said.
Efforts to get a response from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were unsuccessful, as calls to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, did not connect as of press time.
