Trending 
A United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has told Nigerian President Bola Tinubu that the presidency is not his birthright.
“The Nigerian presidency is not your birthright, but a privilege bestowed by the Nigerian people, and if the Nigerian people decide you have to go, then you have to go,” the lobbying firm said.
Von Batten-Montague-York, in a statement shared on X on Wednesday, described Tinubu as a “statesman with a long and respected legacy”, whose tenure is not viewed favourably by many Nigerians.
“H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT), the current President of Nigeria, is a statesman with a long and respected legacy. Nevertheless, his tenure as President is not viewed favourably by a majority of Nigerians. As American-registered foreign agents, we have no authority to remove a sitting leader from office; that power rests exclusively with the Nigerian people,” the statement read in part.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had reportedly hired Von Batten-Montague-York, LC., to protect and strengthen his reputation in the US.
The lobbying firm said on Wednesday that Atiku is not Tinubu’s adversary, adding that he (Atiku) directed it to advocate for US engagement aimed at “ending the killing of innocent Nigerians and ensuring that the right to free and fair elections is fully respected”.
It added that it would continue to advocate for accountability in Nigeria and the freezing of assets if evidence reveals that Tinubu or members of his administration plan to rig the 2027 election.
“We will continue to advocate for appropriate US accountability measures, including consideration of Global Magnitsky sanctions, to freeze assets wherever located, should credible evidence establish that you or members of your government are complicit in the killing of Christians in Northern Nigeria or in efforts to rig the upcoming presidential election,” Von Batten-Montague-York added.
