- A US lobbying firm opposed a proposed Tinubu-Trump meeting
- The firm shared Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim’s remarks with US officials
- Neither Nigeria nor the White House has confirmed the meeting
A Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York L.C., has expressed opposition to reports suggesting that President Bola Tinubu may hold a meeting with United States President Donald Trump during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Eko Hot Blog gathered the firm made its position known in a statement posted on its X account, reacting to comments reportedly made by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim.
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According to the statement, Ibrahim had indicated during a television interview that President Tinubu was expected to meet President Trump on the sidelines of next month’s UN General Assembly.
Von Batten-Montague-York said it had forwarded a video of the ambassador’s remarks to senior officials within the Trump administration and plans to circulate the material to members of the United States Congress and officials at the Department of State.
The lobbying firm, however, did not identify the officials who allegedly received the video or state whether any response had been received from the US government.
Explaining its position, the organisation argued that a meeting between the two leaders could be interpreted by some Nigerians as an endorsement of Tinubu by the US president.
It claimed that such a perception could be used to influence public opinion regarding longstanding controversies linked to allegations and historical legal records involving the Nigerian leader in the United States.
The firm alleged that supporters of the Nigerian president might present any bilateral engagement as evidence that the Trump administration had no concerns about those issues.
The United Nations General Assembly traditionally provides an opportunity for world leaders to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the annual gathering. However, such engagements are usually subject to diplomatic arrangements and official confirmation by the governments involved.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official confirmation from either the Nigerian Presidency or the White House regarding a scheduled meeting between President Tinubu and President Trump during the forthcoming UNGA
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