The Allied People’s Movement (APM) has accused the Presidency of misrepresenting a letter from United States President Donald Trump by portraying it as an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s performance in the fight against terrorism.
The opposition party maintained that President Trump merely acknowledged Tinubu’s expressed commitment to tackling insecurity and did not commend his administration for achieving tangible successes against terrorists.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, the APM described as “misleading” the Presidency’s claim that the American leader praised Tinubu’s anti-terrorism efforts, insisting that the contents of the letter had been distorted to improve the government’s public image.
According to the party, a careful reading of the July 6, 2026 correspondence from President Trump showed that the United States leader only applauded Tinubu’s resolve to confront the country’s security challenges rather than his administration’s record in addressing terrorism.
Quoting from the letter, the APM noted that President Trump wrote: “Thank you for your thoughtful letter. Your kind words mean a great deal to me, and I appreciate your decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people. I applaud your resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation, especially the violence affecting Christian communities.”
The party argued that nowhere in the letter did the American President commend Tinubu for concrete achievements in degrading terrorist groups or improving Nigeria’s security situation.
“The distinction is clear,” the statement said. “President Trump acknowledged Tinubu’s resolve; he did not endorse his performance. Commitment is not the same as achievement, and after years of promises, Nigerians are still waiting for decisive action and measurable results.”
The APM challenged the Presidency to identify any portion of the letter where President Trump expressly praised the administration’s counterterrorism record, maintaining that the communication only recognised the Nigerian leader’s stated determination to confront insecurity.
The opposition party further accused the Federal Government of attempting to use the correspondence as political propaganda to create the impression that the Tinubu administration had received international validation for its handling of security challenges.
According to the APM, despite repeated assurances by the President to tackle terrorism, violent attacks, kidnappings and killings have continued in several parts of the country.
It recalled that since President Trump called for decisive action against terrorism in Nigeria in December 2025, the Tinubu administration had made several commitments but had yet to translate them into concrete improvements in the security situation.
The party urged the Federal Government to focus on producing tangible results instead of seeking what it described as international endorsements.
“If President Tinubu wants commendation from President Trump, he should back his commitment with concrete and decisive action against terrorism,” the statement added.
The APM also accused the Presidency of playing politics with the country’s security challenges, urging it to be candid with Nigerians and the international community about the state of insecurity.
The party further asserted that Nigerians would ultimately judge the administration by its performance, arguing that political messaging could not substitute for effective action against terrorism and other violent crimes.
