The Tanimu Turaki (SAN) led group in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the Federal Government’s engagement of a United States-based lobbying firm, DCI Group, at a cost of $9 million to “communicate its actions to protect Nigerian Christian communities” abroad, describing the six-month contract (with automatic renewal) as both wasteful and shameful.
DCI Group is a prominent Washington, D.C. based public affairs, strategic communications, lobbying, and government relations consulting firm was founded in 1996 by Tom Synhorst, Doug Goodyear, and Tim Hyde.
Often described as a leading Republican-leaning public relations and lobbying powerhouse (with offices in Washington, Brussels, and Houston), DCI has worked on high-profile issues for corporations, trade associations, nonprofits, and advocacy groups.
Its clients include major corporations like ExxonMobil (for which it managed campaigns and faced scrutiny over alleged astroturfing and climate-related efforts), the National Association of Manufacturers, telecom firms, and various bipartisan causes—such as supporting LGBT advocacy.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Comrade Ini Ememobong on Wednesday, the opposition party argued that the decision to hire a foreign firm through Aster Legal, exposes a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s Ministry of Information and the President’s team of media aides.
“This is a clear indication that the President does not have confidence in the Ministry of Information and his media aides,” the PDP stated, noting that the ministry is led by seasoned professionals under a highly experienced public relations expert.
The party demanded urgent clarification from the Presidency on four key issues: “Was the contract budgeted for in the 2025 appropriation?
“Why was the engagement routed through a private law firm instead of the Federal Ministry of Justice?
“What are the duties of the Information and Public Relations officers already stationed in Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad?
“What are the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this $9 million contract?”
The PDP further warned that no amount of paid lobbying can rewrite the lived experiences of Nigerians, especially given the worsening insecurity across the country.
“No lobbying or strategic communication firm can create narratives that will replace the lived experiences of the people.
“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,” the statement read.
Describing the current level of insecurity as worse than during the civil war, the PDP urged President Tinubu to focus on protecting all citizens regardless of religion, reducing mass killings, and ensuring freedom of worship rather than spending millions on “ephemeral optics.”
“Nigerians have not felt this insecure, even during the civil war. The President should concentrate on the hard task of providing sustainable solutions to the nation’s primary challenge – insecurity,” the party stressed.
