The U.S. has questioned Chief Bola Tinubu’s integrity and commitment to combating corruption following his appointment of Abubakar Bagudu, who is linked to past corruption scandals, to a ministerial position.
This move has raised doubts about Tinubu’s pledge to break away from the corruption patterns of his predecessors.
Bagudu, who has a history of corruption allegations tied to his relationship with ex-Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha, has been under the microscope for purportedly participating in the theft of government resources.
In spite of multiple reports accusing Bagudu of diverting hundreds of millions of dollars from the state treasury, a significant portion of which has been returned by several countries, Tinubu proposed him for a ministerial position without addressing these charges.
Tinubu handed over the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to Bagudu, disregarding his contentious past.
The Senate did not oppose Bagudu’s nomination, unanimously endorsing his appointment.
This move startled numerous Nigerians and global partners, including the U.S., who had anticipated a more thorough examination of ministerial candidates. “In August, President Tinubu designated ex-governor Abubakar Bagudu as the Minister of Budget, despite Bagudu’s well-documented past of assisting then-President Sani Abacha in pilfering hundreds of millions of dollars from the state in the 1990s,” the U.S. government noted in its 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in Nigeria.
Unfazed by his ministerial duties, Mr. Bagudu continued to drain state funds, obstructing France’s attempt to return $150 million pilfered by the late Abacha unless he was given a 20 percent cut.
Insisting on a $30 million payoff, Mr. Bagudu staked his claim to the illegal funds, a demand grudgingly fulfilled by Mr. Tinubu’s administration, which was intent on retrieving the stolen assets.
This hindrance underscored Mr. Bagudu’s boldness and probable influence over the incumbent president, who retains his ministerial position.
Despite proven financial misconduct, Mr. Bagudu remains a key player in Mr. Tinubu’s administration, undermining U.S. faith in Tinubu’s pledge to deviate from previous trends.
NN News Media recalled that there are allegations of corruption against Tinubu, both past and present. These allegations include a lawsuit in the late 1990s where Tinubu was accused of laundering the proceeds of heroin trafficking, as well as investigations by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency.
Additionally, Tinubu has been accused of having a hidden interest in a consulting firm that won a major revenue collection contract from the Lagos government.
It also highlights that Tinubu’s appointment of a new budget minister, Atiku Bagudu, who has been accused of helping a former dictator launder looted billion, has raised media criticism and questions about Tinubu’s commitment to fighting corruption.
