Ex-Texas Mayor Accuses Tinubu, DCI Group Of Breaking US Laws Over Lobbying Deal

Former Blanco, Texas, Mayor Mike Arnold has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration and Washington-based lobbying firm DCI Group of allegedly violating laws in the United States and Nigeria over a lobbying arrangement.

Arnold made the allegation in a Facebook post, claiming that the Tinubu administration was paying DCI Group $750,000 monthly under a contract registered with the United States Department of Justice.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Arnold alleged that the agreement was intended to promote Nigeria’s efforts to combat jihadist groups and protect Christian communities by engaging US officials and policymakers.

However, the former mayor accused DCI Group of allegedly going beyond the scope of the agreement by using its platforms to criticise former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Arnold referred to a series of posts allegedly published by the lobbying firm that questioned Atiku’s ability to obtain a US visa and made comments concerning the former vice president’s travel documents.

He argued that such activities were unrelated to the stated purpose of DCI Group’s engagement, which he said was focused on Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts and protection of religious communities.

Arnold also compared the alleged arrangement with Atiku’s reported engagement of another Washington-based lobbying firm for $1.2 million. He noted that registration documents reportedly identified the former vice president as the firm’s client and indicated that its activities were directed against the Nigerian government.

The former mayor further raised questions about whether DCI Group’s alleged political activities were properly disclosed under the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

According to Arnold, carrying out political activities on behalf of a foreign principal without the required disclosure could have serious legal consequences under US law.

“In the United States, leaving political work off a FARA filing is not a typo. It can be charged as a felony if they did it on purpose,” Arnold said.

The allegations have raised questions about the scope of the reported lobbying agreement and whether the activities attributed to the firm were consistent with the terms of its registration. However, the claims remain allegations and would require confirmation from the parties involved and relevant authorities.