A fresh dispute involving President Bola Tinubu and an Atiku lobbying firm has shifted attention from political accusations to a more important question: where is the evidence?
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. claimed that its founder, Dr Karl Von Batten, was offered $3 million by a person it was told was connected to Tinubu. The firm said the offer came with an invitation to a confidential meeting in London and was intended to persuade it to stop its campaign concerning allegations about Tinubu’s past.
The firm said Von Batten rejected the offer, preserved the communications and plans to submit them to the US Department of Justice and FBI. But there is an important distinction. The alleged offer, the identity of the person behind it and the person’s claimed connection to Tinubu have not been independently verified.
Presidency Challenges the Story
The allegation has quickly become another political battle ahead of Tinubu 2027. The Presidency has dismissed the claims as political speculation. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, also questioned the firm’s credibility and described it as a commercial lobbying company rather than an arm of the US government.
Dare pointed to Atiku Abubakar’s relationship with the firm, saying US Foreign Agents Registration Act filings showed that the former vice president retained Von Batten-Montague-York for $1.2 million over 12 months.
That relationship matters because the firm is not a neutral observer in Nigeria’s increasingly heated political contest. It is working for one of Tinubu’s potential 2027 opponents while publicly challenging claims surrounding the president.
What Happens Next Could Change the Story
The next stage may depend less on political statements and more on documentation. If the firm submits the alleged communications to US authorities, investigators could potentially establish who contacted Von Batten, whether money was actually offered and whether the person had any genuine connection to Tinubu.
Until then, the Tinubu drug allegations and the $3 million claim remain contested political claims, rather than proven facts. The President has faced renewed scrutiny over historical US records, while his supporters have challenged the motives behind the campaign.
With the 2027 election approaching, the dispute shows how battles over Nigeria’s political reputation are increasingly being fought beyond the country’s borders, including through lobbyists, US records and international media.
