KEY TAKEAWAYS
- US policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, said its founder, Karl Von Batten, was offered $3 million to drop allegations against President Bola Tinubu.
- The firm said a highly placed individual linked to Tinubu made the offer and invited Von Batten to a confidential London meeting a few days ago.
- Von Batten-Montague-York said Von Batten rejected the offer, kept copies of the messages, and will submit them to the US Department of Justice and FBI.
A United States-based policy advisory and lobbying firm linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has claimed that its founder, Karl Von Batten was offered $3 million and invited to a confidential meeting in London to stop the allegations against President Bola Tinubu.
CityNews reports that the firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, made the allegation in a statement posted on its account on Wednesday,
The firm alleged that the offer was made “a few days ago” by a highly placed individual whom it was informed was connected to President Tinubu.
According to Von Batten-Montague-York, the alleged offer was intended to persuade Von Batten to end its campaign concerning what it described as allegations relating to Tinubu’s alleged heroin-trafficking records.
“A few days ago, Dr Von Batten received unsolicited offers of $3 million, along with an invitation to a confidential meeting in London, from a highly placed individual whom we have been informed is connected to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu (@officialABAT),” the post read.
The firm said its founder rejected the offer and immediately preserved copies of the communications exchanged with the alleged intermediary.
It further said Von Batten contacted members of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign to establish the nature of the individual’s alleged relationship with the President.
The firm also alleged that a smear campaign against its founder began shortly after he rejected the offer.
It said it would submit the alleged $3 million offer and related communications to the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for review.
The firm concluded its statement with a message directed at Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their associates.
“We have a simple message for President Bola Tinubu, the APC, and their associates: Thank you for the offer, but no thanks,” it said.
