A United States-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has claimed that pressure from the Nigerian government led to the deletion of its post announcing the alleged appointment of its leader, Dr Karl Von Batten, by US President Donald Trump.
The firm made the claim in a statement posted on its verified X handle on Saturday, saying the announcement was deleted after the White House informed Von Batten that Nigerian government officials had repeatedly contacted it to complain about the appointment.
According to the firm, it did not intend to trigger what it described as a barrage of calls from Nigerian officials to the White House. It added that Von Batten subsequently apologised to the White House for the alleged inconvenience.
The firm further alleged that President Bola Tinubu and his associates were uncomfortable with its work relating to allegations concerning the President’s past in the United States.
It also accused Tinubu’s spokespersons and Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, of attacking the organisation over its activities.
The firm said, “For the record, we deleted the post after the White House informed Dr Von Batten that the Nigerian government was repeatedly calling and ‘whining’ about the appointment.”
It alleged that Tinubu was particularly concerned about its work on claims that he was involved in heroin trafficking from Nigeria to the United States during the 1980s and 1990s.
The organisation said, “First, it was President Tinubu’s spokespersons who attacked us. Now it is Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo. We fully expect the next high-ranking Nigerian official to attack us will be Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima.”
The firm questioned why, according to its account, senior Nigerian officials were allegedly concerned about Von Batten, asking, “Why is the entire Nigerian government afraid of one man named Dr Karl Von Batten?”
It further claimed that the Nigerian Presidency initially denied that Von Batten had been appointed by Trump to the Commission on Presidential Scholars.
According to the firm, the Presidency later contacted the White House repeatedly, after which the White House allegedly confirmed that Trump had appointed Von Batten to the commission.
The firm said the controversy over the deleted post had subsequently become a focus of attention, arguing that the removal of the announcement should not be interpreted as evidence that the alleged appointment did not occur.
