Nigerian opposition parties have launched a fierce backlash against the Presidency’s celebration of an alleged correspondence from United States President Donald Trump commending President Bola Tinubu’s security record.
They have either dismissed the note as irrelevant or openly questioned whether it exists at all.
The row was triggered by a State House announcement revealing that Trump had written to praise Tinubu’s “decisive leadership” against insurgency. The Presidency further stated that Washington had deployed elite military units, including U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6, to train and assist Nigerian forces.
However, key opposition figures insist the development should not be treated as a blanket endorsement of the government’s security performance.
The comments mirror a broader wave of criticism from across the political spectrum. On Thursday, the African Democratic Congress framed the letter as routine diplomatic protocol rather than a political nod, stressing that the public would judge Tinubu on local realities.
The Allied People’s Movement similarly accused officials of misrepresenting the document, arguing Trump merely acknowledged the President’s intent rather than concrete results. Former All Progressives Congress official Timi Frank also downplayed the message as standard international courtesy.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has stood firm, maintaining that the letter demonstrates deepening military cooperation and strategic support between Abuja and Washington in combating terror.