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.
