'Tinubu get right to challenge release of alleged drug trafficking record' - Lawyer

Legal counsel to President Bola Tinubu don defend di Nigerian leader decision to challenge di release of some U.S. govment documents wey get connection to long-standing allegations of drug trafficking.

Di lawyer, Chris Carmichael tok say di move na to protect Tinubu legal rights and e no suppose make anybody conclude say di President dey to admit any wrongdoing.

Carmichael tell BBC News Pidgin say on di ongoing court case for di America, di president bin act based on legal advise wen e move to stop di US Department of Justice (DOJ), Di Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and di Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from releasing alleged records and documents wey get connection to di case.

"Like evri oda pesin wey dey participate for di American legal system, President Tinubu get right to exercise im rights or waive dem," Carmichael tok. e add say "If a litigant choose to waive or forego im rights, dem don lost forever."

Oga Tinubu lawyer reaction dey come as public interest begin ginger again for records wey some individuals and groups dey try get access to, on top allegations wey don follow di Nigerian leader for many years.

Tinubu don repeatedly deny say e get hand for drug trafficking, and e don continuously maintain say no court for America convict am for any criminal offence.

According to Carmichael, na di president legal team advise am to challenge di release of di documents in order to preserve im rights under di U.S. legal system.

"Upon di advice of counsel, dem suggest to di President say make e exercise im rights in order to be treated like any oda participant for court. Di President accept our advice," di lawyer tok.

Di legal battle bin centre on weda make U.S. agencies, wey include di DOJ, FBI and DEA, release records wey connect to past investigations and proceedings wey don bicom subject of political debate for Nigeria and di US.

Supporters of di president don argue say di request for disclosure dey politically motivated, while critics tok say make dem make di records public in di interest of transparency.

Carmichael, however, clear am say di issue dey bifor di court and di final decision rest wit di judge wey dey in charge of di case.

"As always, di Judge go decide di outcome of di case," e tok. "As im lawyers, we dey optimistic say di court go treat di president fairly and dis mata go conclude within a reasonable period," e add.

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