A United States-based lobbying firm engaged by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has claimed that efforts by President Bola Tinubu to secure an endorsement from US President Donald Trump ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election have failed.
Von-Batten-Montague-York made the claim in a post on its X account.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Tinubu has shunned his planned participation in the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. In his place, Vice President Kashim Shettima will be attending the event.
The firm said the reported meeting between Tinubu and Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly would no longer take place and claimed that any effort to secure Trump’s endorsement of Tinubu had also collapsed.
“Update: By the grace of Almighty God, and only by His grace, President Tinubu’s (@OfficialABAT) heavily lobbied UN meeting with President #Trump is dead. Any endorsement of Tinubu in the upcoming Nigerian presidential election is dead. The proposed White House meeting is dead,” the firm said.
Von-Batten-Montague-York further claimed that Tinubu’s main objective was to meet Trump and obtain his support for the 2027 election.
“President Tinubu’s central objective was to meet with President @realDonaldTrump and secure his endorsement for the upcoming Nigerian presidential election,” it said.
The firm also alleged that about $9 million in Nigerian taxpayers’ money had been spent on the reported lobbying effort.
It described the reported cancellation of the meeting as unfortunate and said it hoped Tinubu would reconsider his decision not to attend the UN General Assembly.
“Having those meetings canceled and being told, in so many words, that you are a liability to the United States is unfortunate, especially after spending $9 million in Nigerian taxpayer money on the effort,” it said.
“Regardless, we hope President #Tinubu changes his mind and attends the @UN General Assembly.”
Recall that the Presidency announced that Tinubu would not personally attend the 81st UN General Assembly, with Shettima instead mandated to lead Nigeria’s delegation to New York.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice-President, said on Sunday that Shettima would represent Tinubu at the gathering.
Shettima is expected to lead a delegation comprising Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, ministers and other senior government officials. The 81st UNGA General Debate is scheduled for September 22 to 28 under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
The Vice-President will deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings on issues including the Right to Development and climate action. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with foreign leaders, international organisations and development partners on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
The decision represents another change from earlier expectations that Tinubu would attend the gathering personally. Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, had previously indicated that the President would attend this year’s UNGA, while reports had also indicated that arrangements were being made for his participation.
Tinubu attended the 78th UNGA in 2023 but did not personally attend the 79th and 80th sessions in 2024 and 2025, when Shettima represented him. The latest decision means Shettima will again represent the President at the annual gathering.
The development has also led to questions from Atiku’s political camp. Paul Ibe, media aide to the former vice-president, questioned why Tinubu changed his plans after earlier indications that he would travel to New York.
Ibe asked, “What are you running away from?” and questioned whether any planned bilateral engagement between Tinubu and Trump had been cancelled or declined.
“Why did the President change his plans? Why will he not personally attend UNGA?” Ibe asked.
He argued that Tinubu’s personal attendance would have provided an opportunity for Nigeria to engage directly with world leaders on investment, security cooperation, trade and international partnerships.
Ibe also said questions about the President’s change of itinerary should not be interpreted as hostility, describing them instead as matters of accountability.
“When the country’s international representation changes suddenly on the eve of the world’s most important diplomatic gathering, asking ‘Why?’ is not hostility. It is accountability,” he said.
