$3m Offer to Drop Tinubu Campaign? Atiku-Linked US Firm Makes Explosive Claim

ABUJA — An American lobbying and policy advisory firm linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has claimed that its founder, Dr Karl Von Batten, was offered $3 million to abandon its campaign over allegations involving President Bola Tinubu.

Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., in a statement posted on its X account on Wednesday, said the offer was allegedly made “a few days ago” by a highly placed person the firm was told had links to President Tinubu.

The firm claimed the individual also invited Von Batten to a confidential meeting in London as part of an alleged effort to convince him to end the campaign.

The allegations have been rejected by the Presidency, which questioned the credibility of the firm and accused it of packaging political claims as intelligence reports.

According to the lobbying company, the alleged offer was connected to its campaign concerning what it described as allegations over Tinubu’s alleged heroin-trafficking records.

“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,” the firm said.

Von Batten-Montague-York said its founder turned down the alleged offer and retained copies of the communications with the intermediary.

It said he then contacted members of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign to establish the identity and alleged connection of the individual who made the approach.

The firm also alleged that a smear campaign against Von Batten started shortly after he rejected the offer.

It said the alleged offer and related communications would be submitted to the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for review.

The firm said Von Batten “refused the offers, immediately preserved copies of the exchanges” and reached out to members of Atiku’s campaign.

Presidency: Show evidence

Responding to the allegations, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, dismissed the claims as political speculation from a commercial lobbyist.

Dare said Von Batten was not speaking for the US government or President Donald Trump and challenged those behind the claims to produce evidence.

He called for the release of the alleged “highly classified intelligence report”, identification of the unnamed sources and production of documentary evidence supporting the claims.

Dare said there was no intelligence document, named Western official or evidence of an exchange involving Nigeria’s secrets or resources.

“It is nothing more than political speculation packaged as classified information,” he said.

He also challenged the description of Von Batten as a “Senior Government Advisor”.

“The self-bestowed appellation of ‘Senior Government Advisor’ is a linguistic sleight of hand,” Dare said.

According to the presidential aide, Von Batten is a commercial lobbyist and founder of Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., not a US government official.

Dare links firm to Atiku

The Presidency also questioned the firm’s relationship with Atiku, citing filings under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act, FARA.

Dare said the filings showed that Atiku had engaged Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. under a $1.2 million, 12-month retainer.

He alleged that the contract was intended to counter narratives from the Nigerian government and deploy historical US legal records as political leverage ahead of the 2027 elections.

Dare said the lobbying documents contained names that established the Nigerian connection and accused the firm of producing public relations material that was subsequently portrayed as representing the position of the US government.

He further questioned whether Von Batten had access to Trump or members of his administration or could influence ongoing legal proceedings in the United States.

Lobbying firm insists evidence will go to FBI, DOJ

Von Batten-Montague-York has maintained that it preserved the communications relating to the alleged $3 million payment and the proposed London meeting.

The firm said it would hand the material over to US authorities for review.

Addressing Tinubu, the APC and their associates, the firm said: “We have a simple message for President Bola Tinubu, the APC, and their associates: Thank you for the offer, but no thanks.”

Claims not independently verified

The claim that Von Batten was offered $3 million to end the campaign could not be independently verified as of the time of filing.

The alleged connection between the individual who reportedly made the offer and President Tinubu also remains unverified.

Likewise, the lobbying firm’s allegations concerning alleged heroin-trafficking records have not been established as facts by a court or relevant authority.

The Presidency’s assertions regarding Atiku’s relationship with the lobbying firm are also part of the ongoing political dispute, although Dare said they were based on US FARA filings.

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