- He urged President Tinubu to prioritise the safety of lives and property and ensure all Nigerians
- Ememobong faulted the government for outsourcing image management to a foreign firm despite having a fully staffed Ministry of Information
- The PDP, however, questioned the transparency and rationale behind the agreement
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the Federal Government over the reported hiring of a United States-based lobbying firm, DCI Group, under a $9 million contract to polish Nigeria’s image abroad.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the opposition party, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, described the deal as defective, deceptive, and shameful, accusing the Bola Tinubu administration of lacking confidence in its own information machinery.
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Ememobong faulted the government for outsourcing image management to a foreign firm despite having a fully staffed Ministry of Information and numerous media aides. He said the move showed a clear vote of no confidence in the ministry and presidential media team.
According to filings with the United States Department of Justice, a Kaduna-based law firm, Aster Legal, allegedly contracted DCI Group on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The contract, expected to last six months with an automatic renewal, is reportedly aimed at helping Nigeria communicate its actions to protect Christian communities.
The PDP, however, questioned the transparency and rationale behind the agreement and demanded urgent clarification from the Presidency.
The party asked whether the contract was captured in the 2025 budget, why it was handled through a private law firm instead of the Ministry of Justice, and what the responsibilities of Nigeria’s foreign mission information officers are.
The opposition party argued that no foreign lobbying firm can successfully change Nigeria’s global image without real improvements in governance and security. It stressed that lived experiences of citizens, not paid narratives, shape international perception.
Ememobong accused the APC-led government of chasing easy public validation through optics rather than tackling the country’s worsening insecurity. He urged President Tinubu to prioritise the safety of lives and property and ensure all Nigerians can practise their faith freely.
The PDP concluded by advising the government to abandon what it described as deceptive communication efforts and focus instead on providing sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s primary challenge of insecurity.
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