Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Ahmed 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.
Atiku’s position was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in response to comments by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications.
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.
But 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.
Atiku hired the lobbying firm in March for $1.2 million to protect and strengthen his reputational standing in the United States.
