Dare Babalola
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the Nigerian government’s alleged decision to hire a US-based public affairs and lobbying firm, DCI Group, for $9 million to improve its image abroad, particularly regarding the protection of Christian communities.
In a statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong on Wednesday, the party described the move as “defective and deceptive”, questioning the government’s confidence in its own Ministry of Information and media team.
“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.
“This is a clear indication that the President does not have confidence in the Ministry of Information and his media aides, whereas the Ministry of Information is manned by a seasoned professionals led by a Public Relations expert-who has in the last few years exhibited maturity and responsibility in the management of government information,” the statement read partly.
He raised several concerns, including whether the contract was budgeted for in the 2025 budget, why it was done through a private law firm, Aster Legal, instead of the Federal Ministry of Justice, and what the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are for the contract.
Ememobong emphasised that no amount of PR spin can replace the lived experiences of Nigerians, who are grappling with unprecedented insecurity.
He urged the government to focus on addressing the root causes of insecurity rather than investing in “deceptive communication”.
The statement added, “Finally, we call on the President to reduce his administration’s appetite for easy public validation through ephemeral optics and rather concentrate on the hard task of providing sustainable solutions to the nation’s primary challenge – insecurity.”
He noted that the contract, signed on December 17, 2025, is set to run for six months, with an automatic renewal option for another six months.
DCI Group will receive $750,000 per month, with the first payment of $4.5 million already made
