Opposition parties have criticised the Presidency for celebrating a reported commendation letter from United States President Donald Trump to President Bola Tinubu on Nigeria’s fight against insecurity, with some political figures questioning the authenticity and significance of the correspondence.
The parties, which spoke separately with Saturday Punch, argued that the reported letter did not reflect the security realities confronting Nigerians.
While some described the correspondence as routine diplomacy, others maintained that any commendation by Trump should be interpreted strictly within the context of the fight against terrorism and not as an endorsement of the Tinubu administration’s overall security performance.
The reactions followed the Presidency’s announcement that Trump had written to Tinubu praising what it described as his “decisive leadership” in tackling insecurity.
The Presidency also disclosed that the United States had deployed Special Operations Forces, including Navy SEAL Team 6, to train and support Nigerian troops in counter-terrorism operations.
NDC Dismisses Letter
The National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Osa Director, dismissed the Presidency’s celebration of the reported letter, saying Nigerians would assess the government based on the realities they face daily.
According to him, diplomatic commendations cannot replace improvements in security conditions across the country.
“When you talk about diplomacy, people speak in such a way and manner that they don’t hit your nerves. Even if the Tinubu administration gets 1,000 letters and commendations from outside, what matters most is the reality and true conditions of the country.
“It is obvious that Nigerians are not happy. The security situation is still in a state that we cannot say the president should be commended or not. So, whether that letter is from Trump, the EU or anywhere, it’s irrelevant and it’s not a reflection of our reality,” Director said.
He argued that widespread insecurity continued to restrict the movement of Nigerians in several parts of the country.
“I never knew that we could descend to this level of celebrating a letter from the President of the United States or wherever over a non-existent triumph over Nigeria’s insecurity. Everyone knows that the level of insecurity today is something that cannot be commended by any rational being,” he added.
Obidient Movement Questions Authenticity
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, also expressed doubts about the reported correspondence.
Tanko said the United States had the capacity to independently assess security developments in Nigeria and therefore questioned whether the information being circulated accurately represented Trump’s position.
“I don’t know whether Trump is being misinformed. The U.S. has permanent knowledge of everything on their own and can run their own investigation.
“We hope this story is not cooked by some people because there is nothing this government cannot do. That’s just my worry,” he said.
National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Major Agbo, said conflicting reports surrounding the letter had created uncertainty over its authenticity and exact contents.
He called on the Presidency to provide clarity.
“I read that Trump had issued a statement commending the president for a job well done in terms of his efforts at curbing insecurity in Nigeria. Just yesterday again, I saw, while I was trying to lay my hands on the statement, another report that claimed there was nothing like that.
“So, as a matter of fact, I’m torn between believing that there was a letter and believing there was none, or that there was a letter and the content is not exactly what is being put out there for Nigerians to see. The whole thing has become like a drama to me.
“So, what they need to do is to come out to tell us whether a letter was truly written or not. I think that’s the way it should be,” Agbo said.
Labour Party Narrows Trump’s Remarks
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Ken Asogwa, however, said the reported comments should be interpreted within a limited security context.
According to him, Trump’s remarks appeared to focus specifically on terrorism and attacks on Christian communities rather than Nigeria’s entire security situation.
“I think Donald Trump’s comments, if you put it in proper context, he pointedly made reference to terrorism and the killing of Christians, and that there has been an improvement in that regard.
“I don’t think that that letter addressed the entirety of the insecurity in Nigeria holistically because the insecurity in Nigeria is multifaceted. It’s not just about the killing of Christians or terrorism.
“The banditry that is happening in the North-West wears a different look from what you are getting in the North Central where Christians are killed in Benue and Plateau,” Asogwa said.
He noted that Nigeria’s security challenges differ across regions, citing banditry in the North-West, attacks in Benue and Plateau, insurgency in the North-East and violence in the South-East.
The Allied People’s Movement (APM) similarly accused the Federal Government of overstating the contents of the reported letter, arguing that Trump only acknowledged Tinubu’s commitment to fighting terrorism rather than recording concrete security achievements.
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, also described the correspondence as routine diplomatic communication that should not be interpreted as political backing for the administration.
The Presidency has, however, maintained that the reported letter demonstrates increasing cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in counter-terrorism efforts, including American military assistance to Nigerian security forces.
