Mike Arnold alleges $750,000 monthly lobbying contract was used beyond its declared purpose, calls for investigation into activities targeting Atiku Abubakar

A former mayor of Blanco, Texas, Mike Arnold, has accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Washington-based lobbying firm DCI Group of allegedly violating laws in the United States and Nigeria.

Arnold made the allegations in a Facebook post on Monday, raising questions about the scope of DCI Group’s reported lobbying agreement with the Nigerian government and its activities in the United States.

According to Arnold, documents filed with the US Department of Justice show that the Nigerian government is paying DCI Group $750,000 per month under a lobbying arrangement.

He alleged that the stated purpose of the engagement was to communicate with US government officials and policymakers about Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christian communities and combat jihadist groups.

Arnold, however, claimed that the firm went beyond that mandate by engaging in activities directed at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is widely regarded as a potential challenger to President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Alleged attacks on Atiku

Arnold cited a series of social media posts allegedly published by DCI Group that questioned Atiku’s ability to obtain a US visa and mocked the former vice president over issues relating to his travel documents.

He argued that such activities had little connection with the lobbying firm’s declared responsibility of promoting Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts and its protection of religious communities.

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The former mayor suggested that the alleged activities could have implications under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which requires certain agents acting on behalf of foreign principals to disclose their relationships and activities to the US government.

“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.

His comments amount to an allegation rather than a finding of criminal wrongdoing. A violation of FARA depends on the specific facts, including whether an individual or organisation was required to register, what activities were undertaken and whether any omission was knowing and wilful.

Comparison with Atiku’s lobbying arrangement

Arnold also compared DCI Group’s reported engagement with the Nigerian government to a separate lobbying arrangement involving Atiku.

He said Atiku had reportedly engaged another Washington-based lobbying firm for $1.2 million and that the firm’s registration documents identified the former vice president as its client and indicated that it was working against the Nigerian government.

Arnold argued that the difference between the two arrangements warranted closer scrutiny, particularly if a firm engaged by the Nigerian government was simultaneously carrying out political communications targeting an opposition figure.

Questions over use of public funds

Beyond US law, Arnold also raised questions about whether Nigerian public funds could have been used for activities aimed at promoting or undermining political candidates.

He alleged that using government resources to target a political opponent could potentially conflict with provisions of Nigeria’s Electoral Act concerning the use of state resources in electoral politics.

The allegation is particularly significant as political parties and potential presidential contenders are already positioning themselves ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Arnold said the reported contract between the Nigerian government and DCI Group, along with the firm's public communications, was available for scrutiny and should be examined by the appropriate authorities.

Calls for investigation

The former Blanco mayor called on law enforcement and regulatory authorities in both the United States and Nigeria to investigate the matter.

He argued that the issue should not be treated merely as a political disagreement, but as a question of whether foreign lobbying activities, campaign-related communications and the use of public resources complied with applicable laws.

The allegations have not, however, established that President Tinubu, the Nigerian government or DCI Group committed any offence. Any determination of liability would require examination of the relevant contracts, FARA filings, communications and other evidence by the competent authorities.

The controversy comes amid growing scrutiny of the activities of foreign lobbying firms hired by Nigerian political and government interests in Washington, particularly as Nigeria seeks to influence US policy on security, religious freedom and counterterrorism.

DCI Group and the Nigerian government had not, in the material available for this report, publicly responded to Arnold’s allegations.