"Death Penalty for Drug-Related Offences in China": Atiku Fires Back at Tinubu - TG News
By Emmanuel KwadaPresidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticised the Presidency over its recent reference to China’s drug laws in defending President. . .
(ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticised the Presidency over its recent reference to China’s drug laws in defending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the move as a “monumental own goal” that has only intensified public scrutiny of the President. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the Presidency’s attempt to draw parallels with China’s legal system had backfired, saying it inadvertently invited Nigerians to examine the standards of accountability applied under Chinese law. According to Atiku, it was ironic that the Presidency had continued to present the United States Government’s response to diplomatic correspondence as though it amounted to a judicial exoneration of President Tinubu, while at the same time introducing China into the debate. “It takes a peculiar kind of unintelligence for a spokesman to set out to drag an opponent before a hypothetical Chinese court, only to end up dragging his own principal into the dock,” the statement said. The former Vice President noted that China imposes some of the world’s toughest penalties for serious drug trafficking offences, including the death penalty, insisting that anyone invoking the country’s legal framework should be prepared to accept its standards in full. Shaibu stressed that Atiku had never been indicted or convicted by any court in Nigeria or elsewhere for corruption, narcotics offences or any criminal wrongdoing, describing this as an undisputed matter of public record. He further argued that if the Presidency wished to use China as a benchmark for public accountability, Nigerians were equally entitled to question how Chinese authorities would have handled the civil forfeiture of $460,000 to the United States Government in proceedings linked to allegations of narcotics trafficking and money laundering. The statement also broadened its criticism to issues of governance, alleging that China’s strict anti-corruption standards would not tolerate what it described as scandals surrounding Nigeria’s national budget, allegations involving a senior presidential aide, or the country’s worsening economic conditions. According to Atiku, the Presidency’s argument had “collapsed under the weight of its own contradiction” because the China comparison had inadvertently shifted attention back to President Tinubu rather than discrediting the opposition leader. The ADC presidential candidate also dismissed the Presidency’s reliance on diplomatic correspondence from the United States, insisting that such exchanges between sovereign governments do not amount to court judgments or legal declarations of innocence. “The lesson here is simple,” Atiku said. “Those who invoke China must be prepared to accept the Chinese standard—not selectively, not rhetorically, but completely. Accountability is not a buffet from which governments choose only the dishes they find palatable. ”He urged the Tinubu administration to focus on addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges, rising hunger, insecurity and institutional decline rather than engaging in what he described as political distractions. Atiku concluded by calling on the Presidency to improve the quality of its public communication, maintaining that while propaganda may dominate the news cycle temporarily, facts ultimately prevail. 📰 Get Latest News UpdatesJoin our Telegram group and receive breaking and trending news updates directly on your phone. Join for News Updates✕