Atiku challenges Tinubu over $460,000 US forfeiture

FORMER Vice-President, Mr Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to explain the circumstances surrounding the forfeiture of $460,000 to the United States government, rather than focusing on the Washington lobbying firm he hired.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr Phrank Shaibu.

The former vice-president was reacting to criticism from the presidency over his engagement of Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a Washington-based lobbying firm, which he said was hired to strengthen his reputation and engage US policymakers.

According to filings submitted to the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Atiku’s engagement with the firm was valued at $1.2m.

The firm disclosed in July that it had begun presenting US government officials, including members of the Donald Trump administration, lawmakers and congressional staff, with records relating to allegations concerning Tinubu from US Department of Justice proceedings.

The development prompted criticism from the presidency.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, had questioned claims about the lobbying firm’s access to the Trump administration and its ability to influence US government or judicial processes.

But Atiku said the presidency was attempting to divert attention from what he described as a more substantive issue, the circumstances surrounding Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 in the US.

Tinubu surrendered the money to US authorities in 1993 following a Chicago court proceeding involving funds that US authorities linked to heroin trafficking. The forfeiture has remained a recurring issue in political debates surrounding the president.

Atiku said the presidency should address the substance of the allegations instead of attacking Von Batten, the lobbying firm’s managing partner.

He also defended his decision to hire the firm, saying the $1.2m agreement was openly registered with the US Department of Justice in accordance with FARA requirements.

The ADC candidate further accused the Tinubu administration of double standards over its criticism of his lobbying expenditure.

He alleged that the Federal Government had entered into a $750,000 monthly arrangement with DCI Group, which he said amounted to $4.5m over six months and contained provisions that could potentially raise the value of the engagement to $9m.

Atiku questioned why his $1.2m expenditure was being portrayed as evidence of desperation while the alleged government arrangement attracted less scrutiny.

He challenged the presidency to account for the reported lobbying expenditure and, at the same time, provide an explanation for the $460,000 forfeiture.

The dispute has added a new dimension to the growing political battle between Atiku and the Tinubu administration, with both sides increasingly taking their arguments to US policymakers and institutions.