The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Dr Sunday Dare, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his reported $1.2 million lobbying agreement with a Washington-based firm, describing the campaign emanating from the United States as politically motivated speculation.
Dare, in a statement, alleged that the media campaign surrounding the activities of Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. was an attempt by Atiku’s political camp to secure foreign validation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said publicly available filings under the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) showed that Atiku contracted the Washington-based firm on a 12-month, $1.2 million retainer.
According to him, the arrangement was intended to counter Nigerian government narratives and use historical US legal records as political leverage in Nigeria.
Dare particularly questioned claims attributed to Dr Karl-Marx Edward Okeke-Von Batten, describing him as a commercial lobbyist and founder of Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., rather than an official of the US government.
He said claims suggesting that Okeke-Von Batten had access to President Donald Trump or the administration, or could influence ongoing US court proceedings, should be treated with caution.
“The self-bestowed appellation of ‘Senior Government Advisor’ is a linguistic sleight of hand,” Dare said, adding that Okeke-Von Batten’s comments represented his personal or commercial position and not that of the US government or the President.
Dare also challenged those behind the claims to produce the alleged “highly classified intelligence report,” identify their sources and provide documentary evidence to support the allegations being circulated.
He said the ongoing US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) proceedings involving historical records had been active since 2023 and were unrelated to President Bola Tinubu’s current foreign engagements.
According to Dare, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s position in the proceedings was primarily connected to protecting investigative techniques and the identities or safety of sources.
He also cited recent comments by Wole Afolabi, SAN, on Channels Television concerning FOIA requests for historical records, saying the lawyer had explained that withholding portions of the documents was consistent with US laws protecting confidential investigative processes.
Dare argued that if Tinubu had committed a criminal offence under US law during previous investigations, American authorities would have had the opportunity to prosecute him at the time.
He accused the opposition of focusing on decades-old US legal records instead of presenting Nigerians with concrete policy alternatives ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the opposition’s political strategy has increasingly centred on “muckraking, emotional manipulation, and ethnic polarisation” rather than economic and development blueprints.
He said the administration had instead focused on fiscal reforms, infrastructure and institutional reforms, arguing that the success or failure of political parties would ultimately be determined by their performance, policies and ability to convince Nigerian voters.
Dare maintained that electoral mandates could not be secured through foreign lobbying or media campaigns, but through “verifiable domestic performance, national vision and tangible infrastructure.”
He urged US courts and law enforcement agencies to continue handling their proceedings according to established laws and procedures, without political interference.
The presidential aide concluded that Nigerians would judge political parties by their records and policy proposals rather than statements issued by foreign-based lobbyists.
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