Opposition Camp Argues Main Concern Should Be Official Documents, Not Personal Backgrounds.

Opposition Camp Argues Main Concern Should Be Official Documents, Not Personal Backgrounds.

Atiku Abubakar’s camp has criticized the Nigerian Presidency for focusing on the background of a US-based lobbyist rather than addressing the core issues raised by the documents and records involved in the ongoing controversy. Responding to the government’s attack on the credibility of lobbyist Karl Von Batten, a senior aide to Atiku, Phrank Shaibu, emphasized that the main concern should be the substance of the records and legal cases instead of the personal background of the lobbyist.

Shaibu’s comments came after President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, questioned Atiku’s association with Von Batten. Dare’s remarks appeared to aim at discrediting the opposition figure by scrutinizing the lobbyist’s personal history. Shaibu dismissed this approach, asserting that the real issues are documented facts that are publicly accessible, particularly in the United States.

He pointed out that among the records is a civil forfeiture case involving $460,000 linked to a bank account bearing Tinubu’s name. Shaibu clarified that this case is not a criminal conviction but emphasized that the existence of court records remains significant. “The documents are there,” he insisted, urging the government to concentrate on these records rather than personal details of Von Batten.

Furthermore, Shaibu defended Atiku’s reported $1.2 million lobbying deal in the US, stating that the engagement was registered with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). This means the details of the lobbying activities, including payments, are publicly disclosed and transparent. He contrasted this with the Nigerian government’s own lobbying activities, which involve the DCI Group at a cost of about $9 million over six months, based on a $750,000 monthly fee. Shaibu questioned why the government’s lobbying efforts are accepted without criticism while Atiku’s are scrutinized.

He challenged the Presidency to explain its own lobbying expenses before criticizing the opposition’s activities. Shaibu also accused the government of diverting attention from pressing national issues, including rising inflation, insecurity, and deteriorating public services, by fixating on the personal background of Von Batten.

In conclusion, Shaibu urged the Tinubu administration to prioritize addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic problems rather than engaging in political mudslinging. He emphasized that Nigerians are more concerned about their daily struggles than about the details of opposition politicians’ foreign lobbying efforts. The Atiku camp called on the government to provide transparency regarding its own foreign lobbying expenditures and to focus on the pressing issues affecting ordinary Nigerians.