A United States-based lobbying and policy advisory firm linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that its founder was offered $3 million to halt its campaign concerning allegations against President Bola Tinubu.
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. made the claim in a statement published on its X account on Wednesday.
The firm said its founder, Dr Karl Von Batten, received the $3m offer and an invitation to a confidential meeting in London “a few days ago”.
According to the firm, the individual who allegedly made the approach was a highly placed person whom it had been told was connected to President Tinubu.
The lobbying firm said Von Batten rejected the proposal and preserved copies of the communications exchanged with the alleged intermediary.
It added that he subsequently contacted members of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign to determine the nature of the alleged connection between the individual and the President.
The firm further alleged that a smear campaign against its founder began after he declined the offer.
It said the alleged payment was intended to persuade it to discontinue its campaign relating to claims concerning alleged heroin-trafficking records involving Tinubu.
Von Batten-Montague-York said it intended to submit the communications and details surrounding the alleged $3m offer to the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for review.
The Presidency, however, rejected the broader claims associated with the lobbying firm.
Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, described Von Batten as a commercial lobbyist and questioned attempts to present his assertions as official United States intelligence.
Dare challenged those making the claims to produce the alleged classified intelligence report, identify their unnamed sources and provide documentary evidence.
He said the claims did not contain an intelligence document, identify a Western government official or provide evidence of an exchange involving Nigerian state secrets or resources.
According to Dare, the allegations amounted to political speculation presented as classified information.
He also dismissed suggestions that Von Batten was a US government official, saying his description as a “Senior Government Advisor” was misleading.
Dare also raised questions about the firm’s relationship with Atiku.
He cited publicly available filings under the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act, FARA, which he said showed that Atiku contracted Von Batten-Montague-York on a $1.2 million, 12-month retainer.
According to Dare, the engagement was intended to counter narratives from the Nigerian government and deploy historical US legal records in political advocacy ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also questioned claims concerning Von Batten’s alleged access to President Donald Trump or members of his administration and his ability to influence ongoing US legal proceedings.
Despite the Presidency’s response, Von Batten-Montague-York maintained that it had retained the communications relating to the alleged payment and would make them available to US authorities.
The firm also issued a message directed at Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress and their associates, saying it had declined the alleged proposal.
However, the allegation that Von Batten was offered $3 million to terminate the campaign could not be independently verified at the time of reporting.
The claim that the alleged intermediary was connected to Tinubu also remains unverified.
Similarly, allegations concerning purported heroin-trafficking records have not been established as facts by a court or relevant authority.
The Presidency’s assertions about Atiku’s engagement with the lobbying firm are also part of the ongoing political dispute, although Dare said his position was based on US FARA filings.
