Atiku-Linked US Lobby Firm Says Tinubu-Trump Meeting Will Not Happen

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An Atiku Abubakar-linked U.S. lobbying firm has claimed that President Bola Tinubu will not secure a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a Washington-based lobbying firm retained by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, made the assertion while outlining its campaign against what it described as efforts by Tinubu to meet Trump on the sidelines of the UN gathering.

In a statement posted on its verified X account, the firm said the anticipated meeting between the two presidents “is not going to happen,” while announcing that it would continue briefing officials in the Trump administration and members of the U.S. Congress about its concerns over Tinubu.

The statement represents the lobbying firm’s position and has not been independently confirmed by the White House or the U.S. State Department.

The firm has sought to place pressure on the Trump administration over historical allegations involving Tinubu, including claims arising from a 1993 U.S. civil asset-forfeiture case.

Von Batten-Montague-York has argued that the allegations surrounding the case should make a meeting between Trump and Tinubu inappropriate. It also said it would continue presenting its case to senior U.S. officials in an effort to influence how the Nigerian president is viewed in Washington.

The development comes amid heightened political interest in Tinubu’s expected engagements in the United States as world leaders prepare to gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly high-level segment from September 22 to 28.

Earlier indications were that Tinubu planned to attend the General Assembly, deliver Nigeria’s national address and participate in several side events covering issues including energy, education and security.

However, uncertainty has emerged over whether the Nigerian president will ultimately travel to New York, with reports suggesting security concerns surrounding planned protests could affect the composition of Nigeria’s delegation.

If Tinubu attends, a meeting with Trump would be a potentially significant diplomatic engagement, given the strategic relationship between Nigeria and the United States and the importance of U.S. policy to Nigeria on security, trade, investment and other areas.

The lobbying firm’s intervention has therefore added a political dimension to the question of whether the two presidents will meet.

The firm is reportedly operating under a $1.2 million, 12-month agreement with Atiku. U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act filings have been cited by the Presidency in describing the financial relationship between the former vice president and the lobbying company.

The Presidency has sharply criticised the firm’s campaign, with Tinubu’s media adviser, Sunday Dare, describing Von Batten-Montague-York as a commercial lobbying outfit rather than an arm of the U.S. government.

Dare has challenged the firm to produce documentary evidence for its claims and accused it of presenting political advocacy as though it represented the official position of the U.S. government.

The lobbying firm, however, has maintained its campaign and said it intends to continue engaging U.S. policymakers over the issues it has raised.

The controversy has also revived scrutiny of the 1993 civil forfeiture proceedings involving funds associated with Tinubu. Tinubu was never criminally charged or convicted in connection with the case and has consistently denied wrongdoing.

The latest dispute is separate from the question of whether the White House has actually ruled out a Tinubu-Trump meeting.

No public statement from the White House or State Department has confirmed that the two presidents will not meet because of the historical case or the lobbying campaign.

For now, the fate of any Tinubu-Trump encounter remains dependent on the final schedules of both presidents and the diplomatic programme surrounding the UN General Assembly.

With the New York summit approaching, attention is likely to intensify around whether Tinubu attends, whether a meeting with Trump is arranged and whether the lobbying campaign succeeds in influencing the Nigerian president’s engagements in Washington.