Tinubu’s Govt To Abiola Heirs: “Don’t Shout—Sue If You Want ₦45 Billion

The Presidency has advised the family of the late Chief Moshood Abiola to formally submit a claim if they seek details or payment regarding the alleged ₦45 billion debt said to be owed by the Federal Government.

This follows recent remarks by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who urged President Bola Tinubu to compensate Abiola’s family as a step toward national reconciliation and justice.

Lamido reignited the long-standing issue at the May 2025 launch of his memoir, Being True to Myself, stating that Abiola’s company, International Telephone & Telegraph, executed significant telecommunications contracts for the military government in the 1970s, but was never fully compensated.

In response, a senior official in the Presidency—who spoke to Punch on condition of anonymity—maintained that Lamido had no standing to speak on behalf of the Abiola family and advised the family to pursue the matter legally.

“The children of MKO Abiola are alive, including his first son. If they believe the government owes them money, they should file a formal claim with proof. It is not Sule Lamido’s place to speak on this,” the source said.

The official also questioned why previous administrations under former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari did not address the matter, if it was truly valid.

Meanwhile, Hafsat Abiola, a member of the Abiola family, expressed appreciation to the Tinubu administration for posthumously awarding the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) to her mother, the late Kudirat Abiola.

“No words can truly capture my gratitude for President Tinubu’s honouring of my mother with the CFR. She was driven by love and duty in defending her husband’s mandate and in her efforts to restore democracy. She would have been deeply moved by this recognition,” Hafsat said.