WHO IS BOLA TINUBU?

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is one of the nation’s most unpopular presidents ever. Over the last year his approval ratings have averaged just 27.5 per cent and dropped to 11 per cent in February.

Despite big promises during his election campaign, Tinubu’s been accused of disastrous economic policies that’ve driven unemployment and inflation to record highs and increased the cost of living to unbearable levels. Beyond domestic troubles, he’s faced foreign policy catastrophes. As ECOWAS chair, and with the West’s backing, he lead the charge for a military intervention in Niger but dropped the plan in the face of strong regional opposition.

It’s been a chaotic reign, but there are stunning claims his rise to power should never have happened in the first place. An investigation by the news website Grayzone questions his close dealings with the US and his shady past in America.

There are allegations he forged education documents in his bid to be president. There are also US court documents from the 1990s revealing he was accused of laundering millions for heroin dealers in Chicago. Even though there was no conviction, some speculate US authorities had ‘got enough on him’ to make him their asset. According to State Department cables released by WikiLeaks, officials relied heavily on Tinubu’s assessments to understand what was happening politically in Nigeria.

It’s a fascinating backstory to a president most Nigerians just want to get rid of. This is our interview with the journalists behind the explosive Grayzone report.