₦airaland Forum

US-based lobbyist urges Trump to probe Tinubu government, Gbajabiamila over PFIPC

A United States-based lobbyist, Von Batten-Montague-York, has called on President Donald Trump and the US Congress to expand ongoing scrutiny of Nigeria to include allegations that President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila participated in a scheme to fraudulently obtain or divert US-linked international funding through an allegedly fictitious federal agency.

In a social media post Thursday, Batten-Montague-York alleged that the recently exposed ‘fake’ Nigerian agency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), received a N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 national budget, which also contained projects financed by the World Bank.

“We are now officially lobbying for the investigation to be expanded to include a possible conspiracy by senior members of the #Tinubu government to defraud the United States by participating in a scheme to illegally obtain or divert U.S.-linked funding,” he said.

The latest allegations have renewed attention on Gbajabiamila’s previous disciplinary case in the US before he became one of Nigeria’s most influential political figures.

In February 2007, the Supreme Court of Georgia suspended Gbajabiamila from legal practice for 36 months after he admitted violating professional conduct rules relating to client funds.

Court records show he acknowledged receiving a client’s $25,000 settlement, depositing it into his attorney trust account, failing to promptly remit the money, using the funds for personal purposes, closing his law office and relocating to Nigeria. He, however, later repaid the client before disciplinary proceedings concluded.

The court noted that the admitted misconduct was ordinarily punishable by disbarment but accepted a petition for voluntary discipline imposing a three-year suspension instead.

Years later, reports indicated that his membership in the Georgia State Bar was eventually terminated after he failed to seek reinstatement following the suspension, meaning he is no longer authorised to practise law in that US jurisdiction.

Batten-Montague-York in his latest statement further claimed that the suspect arrested in connection with the alleged agency, Adeniyi Adeyemi, had accused senior Nigerian government officials, including Gbajabiamila, of playing a key role in the alleged scheme and demanding a cumulative N600 million in kickbacks.

“The recently exposed fake Nigerian presidential agency received a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the Nigerian national budget, a budget that included financing from the @WorldBankGroup. We are now reviewing whether U.S.-linked World Bank and other international funding may have been received by or benefited the alleged fake agency.

’
“The individual arrested in connection with the alleged fake agency has accused senior Nigerian government officials, including Femi #Gbajabiamila (@femigbaja), President #Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, of being a key figure in the alleged scheme and of requesting a total of ₦600 million in kickbacks,” he said.

The US lobbyist also alleged that the Trump administration and members of the US Congress had been gathering information on what he described as attempts by the Tinubu administration, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), members of the Nigerian judiciary and other non-state actors to manipulate Nigeria’s next general election.

“The @realDonaldTrump Administration and Congress have been collecting information concerning alleged efforts by President Tinubu’s (@officialABAT) government, its associates within @inecnigeria, the Nigerian #judiciary, and non-governmental actors to rig the upcoming election,” he stated.

The post comes days after Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe all activities relating to the PFIPC, following a controversial claim by the Presidency on July 1 when it disowned the PFIPC, describing it as a fictitious body and accused Adeyemi of falsely presenting himself as its Director-General, using forged State House documents.

However, findings showed that the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC) appears under the Presidency in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgetary allocation of ₦1.302 billion, comprising ₦802.9 million for personnel, ₦200 million for overheads and ₦300 million for capital expenditure.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi and two others before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of conspiracy, forgery and impersonation. The defendants are accused of forging appointment letters purportedly issued byTinubu and bearing Gbajabiamila’s signature, as well as other State House documents allegedly used to legitimise the activities of the council.

The case is scheduled for hearing on July 27.

Probe wetin. See bigger thief want to probe smaller thief. So as Una dey approve the loan for this government because Una go benefit from the interest of the loan. Make dem talk anything jor

Bobloco:
US-based lobbyist urges Trump to probe Tinubu government, Gbajabiamila over PFIPC

A United States-based lobbyist, Von Batten-Montague-York, has called on President Donald Trump and the US Congress to expand ongoing scrutiny of Nigeria to include allegations that President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila participated in a scheme to fraudulently obtain or divert US-linked international funding through an allegedly fictitious federal agency.

In a social media post Thursday, Batten-Montague-York alleged that the recently exposed ‘fake’ Nigerian agency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), received a N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 national budget, which also contained projects financed by the World Bank.

“We are now officially lobbying for the investigation to be expanded to include a possible conspiracy by senior members of the #Tinubu government to defraud the United States by participating in a scheme to illegally obtain or divert U.S.-linked funding,” he said.

The latest allegations have renewed attention on Gbajabiamila’s previous disciplinary case in the US before he became one of Nigeria’s most influential political figures.

In February 2007, the Supreme Court of Georgia suspended Gbajabiamila from legal practice for 36 months after he admitted violating professional conduct rules relating to client funds.

Court records show he acknowledged receiving a client’s $25,000 settlement, depositing it into his attorney trust account, failing to promptly remit the money, using the funds for personal purposes, closing his law office and relocating to Nigeria. He, however, later repaid the client before disciplinary proceedings concluded.

The court noted that the admitted misconduct was ordinarily punishable by disbarment but accepted a petition for voluntary discipline imposing a three-year suspension instead.

Years later, reports indicated that his membership in the Georgia State Bar was eventually terminated after he failed to seek reinstatement following the suspension, meaning he is no longer authorised to practise law in that US jurisdiction.

Batten-Montague-York in his latest statement further claimed that the suspect arrested in connection with the alleged agency, Adeniyi Adeyemi, had accused senior Nigerian government officials, including Gbajabiamila, of playing a key role in the alleged scheme and demanding a cumulative N600 million in kickbacks.

“The recently exposed fake Nigerian presidential agency received a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the Nigerian national budget, a budget that included financing from the @WorldBankGroup. We are now reviewing whether U.S.-linked World Bank and other international funding may have been received by or benefited the alleged fake agency.

’
“The individual arrested in connection with the alleged fake agency has accused senior Nigerian government officials, including Femi #Gbajabiamila (@femigbaja), President #Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, of being a key figure in the alleged scheme and of requesting a total of ₦600 million in kickbacks,” he said.

The US lobbyist also alleged that the Trump administration and members of the US Congress had been gathering information on what he described as attempts by the Tinubu administration, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), members of the Nigerian judiciary and other non-state actors to manipulate Nigeria’s next general election.

“The @realDonaldTrump Administration and Congress have been collecting information concerning alleged efforts by President Tinubu’s (@officialABAT) government, its associates within @inecnigeria, the Nigerian #judiciary, and non-governmental actors to rig the upcoming election,” he stated.

The post comes days after Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe all activities relating to the PFIPC, following a controversial claim by the Presidency on July 1 when it disowned the PFIPC, describing it as a fictitious body and accused Adeyemi of falsely presenting himself as its Director-General, using forged State House documents.

However, findings showed that the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC) appears under the Presidency in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgetary allocation of ₦1.302 billion, comprising ₦802.9 million for personnel, ₦200 million for overheads and ₦300 million for capital expenditure.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi and two others before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of conspiracy, forgery and impersonation. The defendants are accused of forging appointment letters purportedly issued byTinubu and bearing Gbajabiamila’s signature, as well as other State House documents allegedly used to legitimise the activities of the council.

The case is scheduled for hearing on July 27.

Only Bitter Obidients like the OP will feel such a thing is Possible

tinubu is an asset to USA.

Anytime US wants a favour from tinubu, they will just threaten to probe him.

tinubu will then rush to execute their demands

One top USA secret agent says that sh*t works like magic on tinubu.

aswani:
I am glad they described his real profession, a where belle face lobbyist that had had his palms greased by IPOB and couldn't care less about what happens in and to Nigeria.

We see ya hand ó, IPOB. Una do well,una hear?! Monry wey you for use pump into South East economy, na US lobbyist ima triwey di moni give.

God dey sha

So it is Ipob that sent the Thie"f of Staff to create a 419 agency to loot the treasury.

You see this maladministration of your messiah the faaaake certttifficcate hollldderr has no pathway to another round of snatching and grabbing in 2027

And you data boi aswani, your wailings of pains till eternity over your nightmare PO is just starting

DatNiggaDaz:


Do it is Ipob that sent the Thie"f of Staff to create a 419 agency to loot the treasury.

You see this maladministration of your messiah the faaaake certttifficcate hollldderr has no pathway to another round of snatching and grabbing in 2027

And you data boi aswani, your wailings of pains till eternity over your nightmare PO is just starting

You and your neighbours need to understand when I say I am not like you people having a messiah in this useless political class.

The only way President Tinubu would have lost was to a hard-working united strong opposition, not the lazy, fragmented where belle face one that we now have.

aswani:
You and your neighbours need to understand when I say I am not like you people having a messiah in this useless political class.

The only way President Tinubu would have lost was to a hard-working united strong opposition, not the lazy, fragmented where belle face one that we now have.

Don't deny your faaake certttifficcate hollldderr now. He has been paying you stipends to promote his failures and that you must stand on the faaake mandata.

You hope of snatching and grabbing in 2027 is DOA and any attempt to run away will be met by a stiff opposition. You then understand that the opposition are United, strong and not lazy like your faaake certttifficcate kriminal

More trouble for the man who stole his client's s 25k

DatNiggaDaz:


Don't deny your faaake certttifficcate hollldderr now. He has been paying you stipends to promote his failures and that you must stand on the faaake mandata.

You hope of snatching and grabbing in 2027 is DOA and any attempt to run away will be met by a stiff opposition. You then understand that the opposition are United, strong and not lazy like your faaake certttifficcate kriminal

Ọ ma

aswani:
Ọ ma

Data boi

Is it not this same lobbyist firm Sahara Reporters said Atiku paid $1.2million dollars to clean up his image in the US?

Didn't the same firm promise that Atiku was travelling to the US that Atiku travelled to Dubai instead?

Why collect so much money from Atiku and failed to deliver?

Atiku hires US lobbying firm for $1.2m to boost image – Report

Ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has hired a Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., to strengthen his reputational standing in the United States.

Details of the deal are contained in documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice, which show that the agreement was signed on March 9 and 10, 2026, by the firm’s managing partner, Karl Von Batten, and Nigerian politician Fabiyi Oladimeji on behalf of the former vice president.

According to the filing sighted on the DOJ’s website on Sunday, the contract is aimed at shaping perceptions of Atiku within U.S. policy circles and countering narratives linked to the Nigerian government.

One of the objectives of the engagement is to “counterbalance” the Nigerian government’s “lobbying narratives” in the United States, while also working to “advance understanding” of Atiku’s “leadership posture and policy vision” among policymakers.

https://punchng.com/atiku-hires-us-lobbying-firm-for-1-2m-to-boost-image-report/

Is Atiku running for election in the US?

DatNiggaDaz:


Data boi

You see ya life for outside.

aswani:
You see ya life for outside.

But aswani 🤔 why are you against the oyibo man speaking out against the open corruption you and everyone else has witnessed instead of the main culprits themselves? 🧐

SeeWahala:
But aswani 🤔 why are you against the oyibo man speaking out against the open corruption you and everyone else has witnessed instead of the main culprits themselves? 🧐

Why don't you read clearly, you are articulate enough despite the unfortunate fate dealt to you in life of being an Obidient.

Where did I say I was against the oyinbo man, I clarified he was a lobbyist, is thar not what the article described him as?

aswani:
You see ya life for outside.

Data boi, chant sai darling daddy first. Tell how ur inside life be.

aswani:
Why don't you read clearly, you are articulate enough despite the unfortunate fate dealt to you in life of being an Obidient.

Where did I say I was against the oyinbo man, I clarified he was a lobbyist, is thar not what the article described him as?

Yes the article described him as a lobbyist 🤨

No it was never questioned or doubted by any commenter concerning his 'lobbyist' status 🤔 so one wonders why you came in GunZ blazing to point out the already clearly obvious 🧐

So aswani, can you now lend your voice towards the issue at hand which is APC's TILUMBU'S SGF AND PFIPCeee SCANDAL? 🤗

DatNiggaDaz:


Data boi, chant sai darling daddy first. Tell how ur inside life be.

Imagine aswani saying he was just telling us the oyibo man is a lobbyist 😁

Nothing more nothing less 🤗

He's Always oozing Proper data Boi steeze 😏

SeeWahala:
So aswani, can you now lend your voice towards the issue at hand which is APC's TILUMBU'S SGF AND PFIPCeee SCANDAL? 🤗

I can lend my voice towards the release of the kidnapped children

aswani:
I am glad they described his real profession, a where belle face lobbyist that had had his palms greased by IPOB and couldn't care less about what happens in and to Nigeria.

We see ya hand ó, IPOB. Una do well,una hear?! Monry wey you for use pump into South East economy, na US lobbyist ima triwey di moni give.

God dey sha

demand for it

Parachoko:
Only Bitter Obidients like the OP will feel such a thing is Possible

Make we laugh Bobloco.

SeeWahala:
Yes the article described him as a lobbyist 🤨

No it was never questioned or doubted by any commenter concerning his 'lobbyist' status 🤔 so one wonders why you came in GunZ blazing to point out the already clearly obvious 🧐

So aswani, can you now lend your voice towards the issue at hand which is APC's TILUMBU'S SGF AND PFIPCeee SCANDAL? 🤗

Wailers looking 👀 for a new scenario to wail .

Emasculated and reporting to class with full chest.

Bobloco:
US-based lobbyist urges Trump to probe Tinubu government, Gbajabiamila over PFIPC

A United States-based lobbyist, Von Batten-Montague-York, has called on President Donald Trump and the US Congress to expand ongoing scrutiny of Nigeria to include allegations that President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila participated in a scheme to fraudulently obtain or divert US-linked international funding through an allegedly fictitious federal agency.

In a social media post Thursday, Batten-Montague-York alleged that the recently exposed ‘fake’ Nigerian agency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), received a N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 national budget, which also contained projects financed by the World Bank.

“We are now officially lobbying for the investigation to be expanded to include a possible conspiracy by senior members of the #Tinubu government to defraud the United States by participating in a scheme to illegally obtain or divert U.S.-linked funding,” he said.

The latest allegations have renewed attention on Gbajabiamila’s previous disciplinary case in the US before he became one of Nigeria’s most influential political figures.

In February 2007, the Supreme Court of Georgia suspended Gbajabiamila from legal practice for 36 months after he admitted violating professional conduct rules relating to client funds.

Court records show he acknowledged receiving a client’s $25,000 settlement, depositing it into his attorney trust account, failing to promptly remit the money, using the funds for personal purposes, closing his law office and relocating to Nigeria. He, however, later repaid the client before disciplinary proceedings concluded.

The court noted that the admitted misconduct was ordinarily punishable by disbarment but accepted a petition for voluntary discipline imposing a three-year suspension instead.

Years later, reports indicated that his membership in the Georgia State Bar was eventually terminated after he failed to seek reinstatement following the suspension, meaning he is no longer authorised to practise law in that US jurisdiction.

Batten-Montague-York in his latest statement further claimed that the suspect arrested in connection with the alleged agency, Adeniyi Adeyemi, had accused senior Nigerian government officials, including Gbajabiamila, of playing a key role in the alleged scheme and demanding a cumulative N600 million in kickbacks.

“The recently exposed fake Nigerian presidential agency received a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the Nigerian national budget, a budget that included financing from the @WorldBankGroup. We are now reviewing whether U.S.-linked World Bank and other international funding may have been received by or benefited the alleged fake agency.

’
“The individual arrested in connection with the alleged fake agency has accused senior Nigerian government officials, including Femi #Gbajabiamila (@femigbaja), President #Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, of being a key figure in the alleged scheme and of requesting a total of ₦600 million in kickbacks,” he said.

The US lobbyist also alleged that the Trump administration and members of the US Congress had been gathering information on what he described as attempts by the Tinubu administration, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), members of the Nigerian judiciary and other non-state actors to manipulate Nigeria’s next general election.

“The @realDonaldTrump Administration and Congress have been collecting information concerning alleged efforts by President Tinubu’s (@officialABAT) government, its associates within @inecnigeria, the Nigerian #judiciary, and non-governmental actors to rig the upcoming election,” he stated.

The post comes days after Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe all activities relating to the PFIPC, following a controversial claim by the Presidency on July 1 when it disowned the PFIPC, describing it as a fictitious body and accused Adeyemi of falsely presenting himself as its Director-General, using forged State House documents.

However, findings showed that the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC) appears under the Presidency in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgetary allocation of ₦1.302 billion, comprising ₦802.9 million for personnel, ₦200 million for overheads and ₦300 million for capital expenditure.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi and two others before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of conspiracy, forgery and impersonation. The defendants are accused of forging appointment letters purportedly issued byTinubu and bearing Gbajabiamila’s signature, as well as other State House documents allegedly used to legitimise the activities of the council.

The case is scheduled for hearing on July 27.