Atiku Challenges Tinubu Over $460,000 US Forfeiture, $9m Arrangement

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has warned President Bola Tinubu to desist from attacking the lobbyist he hired to represent his interests in Washington.

Naija News reports that Atiku gave the warning while responding to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare.

Dare had criticised Atiku for engaging the US lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York and cautioned against claims that the firm’s managing partner, Karl Von Batten, had access to US President Donald Trump or his administration or could influence ongoing court proceedings.

However, Atiku challenged Tinubu to explain records surrounding a $460,000 forfeiture in the United States instead of attacking the lobbyist he hired to represent his interests in Washington.

His position was contained in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu,

Shaibu said the Presidency was avoiding the substantive issues raised by American judicial records by focusing on the background and activities of Atiku’s lobbyist.

He argued that Atiku’s engagement with the firm was publicly registered with the US Department of Justice and therefore could not be described as a secret attempt to influence Washington.

He challenged Tinubu to explain why his name appeared in historical US federal narcotics and money-laundering records and why a US District Court entered a decree forfeiting $460,000 held in an account in his name.

“These are not documents written by Atiku Abubakar. They were not manufactured by Karl Von Batten. They form part of an American judicial record,” Shaibu said.

He stressed that civil forfeiture was not a criminal conviction but argued that the existence of the court record could not be dismissed through political attacks

He said both Tinubu and Atiku were entitled to engage lobbyists and questioned why Atiku’s engagement was being portrayed as desperation.

Shaibu said the debate should instead focus on the hardship facing Nigerians, including rising food and transportation costs, electricity bills, insecurity and declining purchasing power.

“President Tinubu, before counting Atiku’s $1.2 million, account for your own $9 million arrangement. And before attacking the messenger, answer the $460,000 question,” Shaibu said.