The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the Federal Government’s hiring of a United States-based lobbying firm, DCI Group, under a $9 million contract to improve Nigeria’s image abroad.

PDP in a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, described the deal as “defective, deceptive, and shameful.”

Ememobong slammed the Bola Tinubu administration for outsourcing Nigeria’s image management to a foreign firm despite maintaining a fully staffed Ministry of Information and a network of media aides.

“This revelation is as disturbing as it is shameful that a government with a full Ministry of Information and a litany of media aides will be paying a foreign firm to launder its image,” Ememobong said.

“This is a clear indication that the President does not have confidence in the Ministry of Information and his media aides.”

According to filings with the US Department of Justice, Aster Legal, a Kaduna-based law firm, reportedly contracted DCI Group on behalf of National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. The engagement, which is to run for six months and automatically renew for another six months, is aimed at “assisting the Nigerian government in communicating its actions to protect Nigerian Christian communities.”

The PDP, however, questioned the rationale and transparency behind the agreement, demanding immediate clarifications from the Presidency.

“We seek clarification from the Presidency on the following: Was this contract budgeted for in the 2025 budget? Why was it done through a private law firm and not the Federal Ministry of Justice? What are the duties of the Information and Public Relations officers in diplomatic missions abroad? And what are the Key Performance Indicators for this contract?” Ememobong queried.

The opposition party further argued that no foreign lobbying firm can alter Nigeria’s global image without genuine improvements in governance and security.

“No lobbying or strategic communication firm can create narratives that will replace the lived experiences of the people,” the statement noted.

“If the Tinubu administration is desirous of changing the perception of the country abroad, it should invest more in the security of lives and property, not in deceptive communication.”

Ememobong accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of seeking “easy public validation through ephemeral optics,” urging President Tinubu to focus instead on solving Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

“The President should be more interested in ensuring that all Nigerians, irrespective of religion, are safe and free to worship God in their chosen way, and that mass killings are reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.

“When these feats are achieved, Nigerians will reflect safety, and that will concomitantly dictate the global perception of Nigerians.”

The PDP concluded its statement by advising the government to “concentrate on the hard task of providing sustainable solutions to the nation’s primary challenge — insecurity.”