Paul Adekunle Adesola has reacted to President Bola Tinubu’s legal challenge seeking to prevent the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration from releasing records linked to past drug-trafficking allegations.
The records are being sought under the United States Freedom of Information Act by transparency activist Aaron Greenspan.
According to a 16-page court filing reportedly shared with Channels Television by the President’s legal team, Tinubu argued that releasing previously undisclosed information would violate his privacy rights, maintaining that he had committed no wrongdoing.
Reacting to the development, Adesola said that if the President had committed no wrongdoing, transparency should not constitute a source of concern.
He stressed that the existence of allegations did not automatically establish their truth, noting that every allegation must be tested against credible evidence. He added that every individual remained entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence.
Adesola, however, argued that an attempt by a public office holder to prevent the disclosure of records relating to allegations that had attracted significant public interest would inevitably raise legitimate questions about the contents of the documents and why they should remain undisclosed.
“If the records contain nothing incriminating, their release could actually help to settle the matter and put the allegations to rest,” he said.
According to him, public servants who ask citizens to trust them must recognise that public confidence is strengthened by transparency rather than secrecy.
Adesola clarified that his position was not an attempt to convict the President in the court of public opinion. He maintained that the relevant records should be allowed to speak for themselves, subject to legitimate privacy safeguards and applicable legal protections.
“If there is nothing to hide, let the evidence speak. If there is something to clarify, let it be clarified. Nigerians, and indeed the wider public, deserve facts, not speculation,” he added.
