By Chike Ofili
A Washington-based lobbying firm retained by the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has questioned the authenticity and timing of a letter in which United States President Donald Trump praised President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, saying it would seek clarification from the White House.
The firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., raised the issues in a series of posts on X after the Presidency released the text of a letter in which Trump commended Tinubu’s leadership and reaffirmed support for stronger United States-Nigeria relations.
According to the lobbying firm, it found it unusual that the Presidency published only the quoted text of the correspondence, including the date and signature block, instead of releasing a scanned copy of the original signed letter.
“We are not saying that a standard diplomatic response letter was never sent to President Tinubu. Nor are we saying that President Tinubu fabricated the purported letter,” the firm stated.
It argued, however, that the absence of the actual document left room for questions over its authenticity.
The group also queried why the Presidency released the letter on July 22 even though it was dated July 6, describing the 16-day interval as unusual.
According to the firm, the timing of the publication had raised questions about the motive behind its release.
“We are half expecting the White House to tell us that the letter is a fabrication and that no such letter was sent,” the group said, while adding that it could also be a routine diplomatic response.
The lobbying firm maintained that even if the correspondence proved to be genuine, it appeared to be a standard diplomatic letter prepared by White House officials in response to correspondence from a foreign leader rather than a specially crafted presidential message.
It further disclosed that it intended to forward the Presidency’s published quotations from the letter to officials at the White House for verification.
“We intend to forward the purported quotations from this unreleased letter to our friends at the White House,” the firm said, expressing confidence that the matter would receive official attention.
The latest comments are the newest development in the lobbying campaign mounted by the Washington firm on behalf of Atiku Abubakar under a $1.2m 12-month contract to engage policymakers in the United States on issues relating to Nigeria.
The Presidency has maintained that President Trump’s letter reflects the strengthening relationship between Nigeria and the United States, particularly in the areas of security cooperation, counter-terrorism, and broader bilateral engagement.
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