Representatives of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar have held talks with senior staff of the US House Democratic caucus over concerns about Nigeria’s electoral process.
Von Batten-Montague-York, a Washington-based lobbying firm
recently engaged by the former vice-president, made a post on X
about the meeting, noting that the talks were held remotely.
“Today, a high-level, senior staff congressional meeting was
convened remotely between @HouseDemocrats staff
and representatives of former Nigerian Vice President and current presidential
candidate Atiku Abubakar’s (@atiku)
campaign,” the firm wrote.
“The meeting addressed serious concerns regarding election
integrity in Nigeria, including credible allegations that the current
government is working to circumvent the will of the Nigerian people through
electoral manipulation.
“Participants also examined broader concerns surrounding
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s (@officialABAT)
governing trajectory, including actions perceived as consolidating political
power in a manner that could steer Nigeria toward a de facto one-party state.”
However, no official statement has been released by the US
house of representatives or the Abubakar campaign team concerning the details
of the meeting as of the time of filing this report.
Abubakar recently hired the US firm to protect and
strengthen his “reputational standing” in the US.
The contract agreement was signed by Karl Von Batten, the
managing partner at the firm, and Fabiyi Oladimeji, a Nigerian politician, on
March 9 and 10, 2026, respectively.
According to the document
filed with the US Department of Justice, one of the contract’s objectives
entails that the firm will “counterbalance” the Nigerian government’s “lobbying
narratives” in the US.
Based on the contract details, the firm will facilitate and
arrange meetings for the former vice-president to engage with US government
officials and members of congress.
Von Batten-Montague-York would also provide Abubakar with
“guidance on policy positioning, reputational considerations, and engagement
strategy”.
On April 8, Von Batten-Montague-York, said it would
recommend sanctions against Nigerian politicians and officials of the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who attempt to manipulate or
undermine the country’s electoral process.
The move came amid growing global concern over the rising
cases of electoral malpractices in Nigeria.
In a statement
posted on X, the firm said it would henceforth spotlight electoral
officials and individuals that engage in election rigging in Nigeria.
The firm said it would recommend the electoral offenders to
the office of the US president and Congress for global sanctions that will
include asset freezes and travel bans.
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