PDP Criticizes Federal Government's $9 Million PR Deal with US Firm as Misleading

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised concerns regarding news of a $9 million contract for public relations and lobbying that allegedly exists between the Federal Government and the US-based DCI Group, labeling the agreement as defective, misleading, and shameful.

In a statement released yesterday, the party's National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, revealed that the contract, supposedly arranged via Aster Legal, was intended to assist the Nigerian government in expressing its commitment to protecting Christian communities in Nigeria. The deal was set to last six months, with an automatic extension option for an additional six months.

Ememobong voiced his concerns about a government that possesses a fully operational Ministry of Information yet chooses to hire a foreign firm for image management abroad.

He suggested that this decision indicated a lack of faith in the Ministry of Information's capabilities and the media team's effectiveness, even though it is being led by qualified experts.

“The revelation is as alarming as it is disgraceful,” the PDP spokesperson stated, indicating that the Ministry of Information, which is guided by a public relations professional, has demonstrated maturity and accountability regarding government communication in recent years.

The opposition party is demanding answers from the Presidency on various matters, such as whether the contract was included in the 2025 budget; the reason it was negotiated through a private law firm rather than the Federal Ministry of Justice; the specific duties of Information and Public Relations officers in Nigeria’s diplomatic missions; and the performance metrics associated with the contract.

Ememobong argued that no firm specialized in lobbying or strategic communication could replace the authentic perspectives of Nigerians, especially in a time marked by instantaneous global information dissemination.

He asserted that if the government aims to enhance Nigeria’s international image, it should focus on bolstering the security of its citizens and properties, rather than engaging in what he referred to as misleading communication.

“The undeniable truth is that Nigerians have never felt so insecure, not even during the civil war,” he said, urging President Bola Tinubu to ensure the safety of all citizens, regardless of their religious affiliations, and to uphold freedom of worship while curtailing acts of mass violence.

The PDP argues that achieving genuine security enhancements would naturally influence how Nigeria and its people are perceived in the global arena.

The party urged the President to mitigate what they described as a tendency towards seeking “shallow public validation through fleeting optics” and concentrate instead on cultivating sustainable solutions to tackle the nation's major issue of escalating insecurity.