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BREAKING: Tinubu, First Lady, Top Officials Dragged to Court Over ₦20bn National Library Fundraiser

President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and top officials are facing a lawsuit over the ₦20 billion raised during Mrs.

Published

6 months ago

September 24, 2025

VerseNews

Oluremi Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and top officials are facing a lawsuit over the ₦20 billion raised during Mrs.

Tinubu’s 65th birthday for the completion of the National Library. The case seeks an EFCC probe into the funds and demands greater budgetary commitment to education.

President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and several senior government officials have been taken to court over funds raised during Mrs. Tinubu’s 65th birthday celebration for the completion of the National Library headquarters in Abuja.

The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos and marked FHC/L/CS/1900/25, lists the Attorney-General of the Federation, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Federal Ministry of Education, National Librarian Chinwe Veronica, the Board of the National Library, NERDC, Zenith Bank Plc, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) among the respondents.

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Controversy erupted in July after Mrs. Tinubu, through a video message released by her spokesperson, urged Nigerians to contribute to an “Education Fund” for the library project instead of sending her birthday gifts. While she described it as the “best birthday present,” the call triggered criticism, with many accusing the government of shifting its responsibility to citizens.

The suit seeks, among other reliefs, a court order compelling the EFCC to investigate the Zenith Bank account reportedly used for the fundraiser, and for a detailed disclosure of donations received and how the funds have been managed. It also calls for President Tinubu to allocate at least 26% of the 2026 federal budget to education, in line with UNESCO recommendations.

Mrs. Tinubu recently revealed that donations exceeding ₦20 billion had already been pledged toward completing the project. As of press time, no judge has been assigned to the matter, and a hearing date is yet to be scheduled.