Atiku-linked US Firm Mentions Whopping Amount It Was Allegedly Offered to Stop Anti-Tinubu Campaign
- A US lobbying firm tied to Atiku Abubakar alleged that someone connected to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu offered its founder $3 million to stop a campaign against him
- Von Batten-Montague-York said its founder rejected the offer and preserved all communications linked to the alleged approach
- The presidency hit back, calling the claims political speculation and pointing to a $1.2 million retainer the firm reportedly received from Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Washington, USA - A United States-based lobbying firm with ties to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that a highly placed individual connected to President Bola Tinubu offered its founder $3 million to stop a campaign tied to allegations about Tinubu's past.
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. published the allegation on its X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, September 2, saying the offer was made to its founder, Karl Von Batten, "a few days ago."
Source: Twitter
Tinubu's proxy 'offered $3m' - Von Batten
According to Vanguard, the firm stated that the approach came with an invitation to attend a private meeting in London, which it described as an attempt to persuade Von Batten to end a campaign centred on claims about Tinubu's alleged illicit drug trade records.
According to the firm, Von Batten turned down the offer and immediately saved copies of all communications with the person said to have made it. He then reached out to members of Atiku's campaign team to find out more about the alleged intermediary's relationship with the President.
The firm said a smear campaign against Von Batten began shortly after the rejection and announced that it would hand over the communications and details of the alleged offer to the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for review.
The firm said in its statement:
"A few days ago, Dr Von Batten received unsolicited offers of $3 million, along with an invitation to a confidential meeting in London, from a highly placed individual whom we have been informed is connected to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu."
Von Batten-Montague-York closed its statement with a direct message to Tinubu, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and their associates: "Thank you for the offer, but no thanks."
The identity of the individual who allegedly made the offer, the claimed connection to Tinubu, and the underlying allegations about the president's past remain unverified and are contested points in what is shaping up to be a charged political dispute ahead of the 2027 elections in Africa's largest democracy.
Read Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C.'s full post below via its verified X page:
2027 election: Presidency rejects claims
Meanwhile, as reported by The Sun Nigeria, the presidency quickly pushed back.
Sunday Dare, the special adviser to President Tinubu on media and public communications, dismissed the allegations as political speculation with no bearing on the official position of the US government.
Dare challenged the firm to produce what he called an alleged "highly classified intelligence report," name its sources, and back its claims with documentary evidence. He also rejected any suggestion that Von Batten represented the US government or President Donald Trump.
Source: Facebook
"The self-bestowed appellation of 'Senior Government Advisor' is a linguistic sleight of hand," Dare said, describing Von Batten as a commercial lobbyist.
The presidential aide went further, pointing to filings under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act showing that Atiku engaged Von Batten-Montague-York on a 12-month retainer worth $1.2 million.
Dare alleged the arrangement was designed to undermine Nigerian government narratives and use historical US legal records as political ammunition ahead of the 2027 elections.
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Tinubu urged to quit 2027 election race
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) called on President Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential election, citing his lawyers' recent move in a United States federal court to suppress documents that could link him to drug offences.
According to the party, Tinubu's legal team appeared before the US District Court for the District of Columbia, asking the court to block a summary judgment that would compel the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release documents allegedly containing incriminating information about the president's involvement in narcotics.
Source: Legit.ng
