NEWS
Fani-Kayode Challenges Karl Von Batten Over Tinubu Campaign, Questions Identity and Credentials
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has launched a blistering attack on Dr. Karl Ikemefuna Von Batten, accusing the American lobbyist of embarking on what he described as a relentless campaign to discredit President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Fani-Kayode, who said he had initially attempted to stay out of the controversy, said he was compelled to speak after becoming increasingly disturbed by what he described as the “nauseating” nature of the allegations being circulated against the Nigerian President.
In a strongly worded statement, Fani-Kayode accused Von Batten and his public relations firm, Von Batten-Montague-York LC, of deliberately seeking public attention through repeated allegations concerning Tinubu.
He said his email inbox and social media direct messages had been inundated with materials relating to Von Batten’s claims about the President, describing the campaign as a “distractive nuisance” and a source of irritation to many people.
Fani-Kayode argued that Von Batten had been attempting to portray Tinubu as a “mafia-like gangster” and a dangerous and callous figure despite, according to him, the President not having been indicted or convicted of any crime by a court in the United States or elsewhere.
The former minister also took particular aim at an allegation that Tinubu allegedly sent an agent or associate to invite Von Batten to London and offer him $3 million in exchange for his silence.
Fani-Kayode dismissed the allegation as baseless, accusing Von Batten of failing to provide tangible evidence to support the claim.
“I put it to you that if you actually believe what you have said on this attempted bribery allegation then you are clearly seeing things and hearing voices that do not belong in this realm and I therefore have every reason to question, not just your integrity, but also your sanity,” he said.
Fani-Kayode urged Von Batten to reconsider his continued campaign against Tinubu, arguing that the ongoing legal proceedings in the United States should be allowed to run their course.
He maintained that Von Batten should wait for the court to deliver its ruling and for the 2027 Nigerian elections to take place rather than continuing what he described as an aggressive public campaign against the President.
Referencing comments previously made by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, Fani-Kayode described the American legal controversy as “a storm in a tea cup” that was “going nowhere.”
He further expressed confidence in the American judicial system, saying he believed the courts would uphold the rule of law and protect Tinubu’s legal privacy rights.
According to Fani-Kayode, the case had become a subject of excessive attention from Von Batten, who he accused of repeatedly threatening to report individuals who disagreed with him to the American Congress, FBI and the Trump White House.
The statement then took a more personal turn, with Fani-Kayode questioning Von Batten’s identity and background.
He alleged that the surname “Von Batten” was acquired through Von Batten’s marriage to Elizabeth Von Batten, and questioned why a man whose records, according to him, carry the Nigerian names Ikemefuna Okeke would publicly use the surname of his wife.
Fani-Kayode asked a series of questions about Von Batten’s ancestry and identity, including whether there was something in his past that he did not want the public to know.
He also questioned whether Von Batten was ashamed of his Nigerian heritage or whether there was another explanation for the change in the name by which he is publicly known.
Fani-Kayode further questioned Von Batten’s educational background, alleging that he had claimed to have attended prestigious institutions including Oxford, Columbia, Harvard, Cornell and the New York Institute of Technology.
According to Fani-Kayode, there was no publicly verified record confirming the educational history Von Batten allegedly claims.
The High Commissioner also questioned Von Batten’s alleged involvement with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, claiming that the lobbyist received $1.2 million for pursuing what he described as a futile political objective.
Fani-Kayode suggested that Von Batten may have given Atiku assurances about securing access to the White House and high-level American officials.
He, however, did not provide evidence in the statement to substantiate his allegations concerning the payment or the alleged promises.
Throughout the lengthy statement, Fani-Kayode repeatedly accused Von Batten of having a political agenda against Tinubu and insisted that the campaign would ultimately fail.
He maintained that Tinubu’s political future would not be determined by Von Batten or his associates, but by God and the Nigerian electorate.
“You see President Tinubu’s destiny and fate is not in your hands but rather in the hands of God and the Nigerian peopl,” Fani-Kayode declared.
He concluded his statement with a series of highly critical remarks about Von Batten, describing his allegations against Tinubu as false and dismissing the ongoing petition as a “big fat NOTHING-BURGER.”
Fani-Kayode ended by declaring, “Outside of your wild fantasies, infantile assertions, puerile delusions and masturbatuary dreams you have NOTHING, you are NOTHING and you will end up with NOTHING!”