Atiku allegedly lobbying US to recognize him as Nigeria’s president – Report

– A report by the Centre for Responsive Politics (CRP) claims Atiku Abubakar is lobbying the US for recognition as the authentic Nigerian president
– The CRP report says Atiku is making this effort through some lawyers in a contract worth $30,000 for 90 days
– The report says the contract is firm in the promise that Atiku will be recognised as the authentic president of Nigeria
The defeated presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is allegedly lobbying the United States of America to recognize him as the duly elected in Nigeria.
A media aide of the presidential candidate, Paul Ibe, who was contacted by Legit.ng for reaction, promised to call back. He was yet to do so at the time of this report.
Atiku, who lost the 2019 presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is, according to a report by the Centre for Responsive Politics (CRP), lobbying the US through two lawyers in Washington DC.
The research group dedicated to tracking money in US politics and its effects on elections and public policy, on Monday, April 8, said: “Enlisting the assistance of two high-powered Washington, D.C. lawyers, a Nigerian presidential candidate is looking for help in his legal challenge after his election loss.”
The report claims Atiku has ties to those in Trump’s circle, “having hired political consultants like Riva Levinson, who worked with Paul Manafort, and Brian Ballard, a major Trump fundraiser. Like many other foreign leaders looking to bolster their standing with Trump, Abubakar stayed at the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C.”
The report claims further that the presidential candidate of the PDP, through this, is joining politicians like Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó in turning to lobbyists to garner American support.
To achieve this, the report said Atiku made a payment of $30,000 for a 90-day contract, according to a FARA filing accessed using the Center for Responsive Politics’ Foreign Lobby Watch, on March 24, which showed that former Justice Department official Bruce Fein and his firm Fein & DelValle PLLC registered as foreign agents on Abubakar’s behalf.
The report added that Fein would be joined in the effort by W Bruce DelValle, who is a rights activist.
According to the report, “Fein’s firm is explicit in promising to ‘obtain official recognition that you are the authentic president of Nigeria based on an accurate counting of legal ballots’.”
This is with the goal of convincing the United States “that your presidency would open a fresh and new chapter in Nigerian politics.”
Legit.ng earlier reported that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar recently congratulated the US president, Donald Trump, on his controversial vindication by Muller report over the allegation of conspiracy with Russia on the 2016 US presidential election.
Atiku said he believed that the development”will give room for further successes by the 45th president of the United States.”
By Legit.ng