PRESIDENCY SLAMS ATIKU OVER REPORTED $1.2M US LOBBYING AGREEMENT
Read Time:2 Minute, 49 Second
By: Fasasi Hammad
The Presidency has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over a reported $1.2 million lobbying agreement with a Washington-based firm, describing the development as politically motivated.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, alleged that Atiku’s political camp was using the services of Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. to seek foreign backing ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Dare, in a statement, said documents filed under the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act showed that Atiku had engaged the firm for a 12-month period at a cost of $1.2 million.
He alleged that the agreement was intended to challenge the Nigerian government’s position while exploiting old US legal records for political purposes in Nigeria.
The presidential aide also questioned claims attributed to Dr Karl-Marx Edward Okeke-Von Batten, describing him as a commercial lobbyist and founder of the firm, rather than a US government official.
Dare warned against claims that Okeke-Von Batten had direct access to US President Donald Trump or his administration or possessed the influence to affect ongoing court proceedings in the United States.
He dismissed the title of “Senior Government Advisor” attributed to Okeke-Von Batten, describing it as a misleading description that should not be interpreted as an official US government position.
Dare maintained that statements made by the lobbyist represented his personal or commercial interests and should not be presented as the position of the US government or President Trump.
He also challenged those alleging the existence of a “highly classified intelligence report” to produce the document, identify their sources and provide evidence to substantiate the claims.
According to Dare, the Freedom of Information Act case involving historical US records had been ongoing since 2023 and was unrelated to Tinubu’s current foreign engagements.
He said the FBI’s position in the case primarily concerned the protection of investigative methods as well as the identities and safety of confidential sources.
Dare also cited comments by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Afolabi, on Channels Television concerning FOIA requests for historical records, saying the lawyer explained that some information had been withheld under US laws protecting confidential investigative processes.
The presidential aide argued that if Tinubu had committed any criminal offence under US law during earlier investigations, American authorities would have had the opportunity to prosecute him at the time.
He accused opposition politicians of relying on decades-old US legal records instead of presenting Nigerians with clear policy alternatives ahead of the 2027 elections.
Dare said the opposition was increasingly resorting to what he described as “muckraking, emotional manipulation and ethnic polarisation” rather than presenting detailed solutions to Nigeria’s economic and developmental challenges.
He maintained that the Tinubu administration remained focused on fiscal reforms, infrastructure development and institutional reforms.
According to him, political parties would ultimately be judged by their records, policies and ability to earn the confidence of Nigerian voters.
Dare said elections could not be won through foreign lobbying or media campaigns but through demonstrable domestic performance, a clear national vision and tangible infrastructure.
He urged US courts and law enforcement agencies to handle ongoing cases according to the law and without political interference.
He added that Nigerians would ultimately assess political parties based on their performance and policy proposals rather than statements made by foreign-based lobbyists.
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