19/08/2026
*The Files Must Speak: Why Nigerians Deserve the Truth About Tinubu's Drug Records*
The controversy surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the alleged drug-related records in the United States has gone on for far too long. After years of allegations, counter-allegations and political arguments, I believe Nigerians deserve clarity. We need facts, not rumours, assumptions or political narratives.
First, I think it is important to be fair. The request by President Tinubu’s legal team for additional time to respond to the case is *not, by itself, proof of guilt or an admission that there is something to hide.* Lawyers regularly ask courts for extensions for different legal reasons. We should therefore avoid concluding that the request alone means the President is guilty.
But fairness should also apply to the other side of the argument: serious allegations involving the President of Nigeria are matters of legitimate public interest. If there are records that the court has ordered to be released, then the proper approach is to allow the judicial process to take its course and let the evidence speak.
Personally, I would rather see the documents released and properly examined than continue hearing different versions of the story from politicians and their supporters. If the records contain nothing that establishes wrongdoing, then their release could help put the matter to rest. If they raise legitimate questions, those questions should be answered through evidence and the law.
I am also not comfortable with anyone declaring President Tinubu guilty simply because an investigation or allegation exists. *An allegation is not a conviction.* We must distinguish between what has been alleged, what has been investigated, what has been established by evidence, and what has actually been decided by a court.
There is, however, an important question that Nigerian legal experts should address: *Under Nigerian law, would an allegation or conviction relating to drug trafficking automatically disqualify a sitting President from holding office?* I would like to hear from respected Nigerian constitutional and criminal-law jurists on this specific issue. This is a legal question that should be answered with reference to the Constitution and relevant laws, not political opinions.
So legally, the president appears to be on solid ground. But let us be careful: legally correct is not the same as morally right. The Constitution may not remove him from office, but the court of public opinion operates on a different standard. Leadership is built on trust, and trust is built on transparency.
At the end of the day, I believe President Tinubu's reputation and the image of Nigeria deserve facts. If he has nothing to hide, transparency should ultimately help settle the matter. If there is evidence of wrongdoing, Nigerians also deserve to know and the appropriate law should apply.
But we should not prejudge the outcome. *Let the court process continue. Let the relevant documents speak for themselves. Let qualified lawyers interpret the law. And let Nigerians judge the matter based on evidence.*
Nigeria's image on the global stage and the moral authority of our presidency deserve facts, not rumours. We cannot ask our children to believe in a system where the highest officeholder fights to keep his own history hidden. Governance requires the confidence of the people, and that confidence cannot exist in the dark.
I am not calling for a witch hunt. I am calling for closure. If the records exonerate the president, let us see it in black and white and move on. If they raise further questions, let us face them with maturity. But this limbo—where allegations fester because documents stay buried—serves nobody. Not Tinubu. Not his critics. And certainly not the Nigerian people.
President Tinubu, if your hands are clean, you do not need an army of lawyers to shield you from your own past. Step aside. Let the files come out by August 21. Let the law finish what it started. And let Nigerians finally turn their full attention from thirty-year-old court documents to the urgent business of governance and nation-building.
There is no hiding place for the truth—not in Washington, not in Abuja, not anywhere on earth.
*Otunba Ademola Akinnola*
*Public Affairs Commentator | Opinion Columnist*
Advocate for Good Governance
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