- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has slammed at Dr. Karl Von Batten, the founder of the America-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York LC, over the alleged drug trafficking case against President Bola Tinubu revived by the firm.
NPO Reported that the Public Relations firm, sponsored by the 2027 African Democratic Congress Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had last week released document confirming the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) probe of the president over alleged heroin trafficking to America.
Von Batten-Montague-York LC claimed to have released the document to debunk the presidency’s claim that Tinubu was not investigated over the alleged heroin trafficking.
It also threatened to publicise the document across New York ahead of the United Nations General Assembly which Tinubu is billed to attend.
The firmed vowed that several world leaders at the meeting will be made aware of Nigerian president’s heroin trafficking case while expressing intent to further making it a public knowledge across New York if authorised.
Reacting to the threats and other subsequent statements released by the firm, Fani-Kayode, in an article posted on his X handle on Tuesday called out the founder of the firm whose full name, according to the former aviation minister, is Dr. Karl-Marx Edward Ikemefuna William George Okeke-Von Batten.
Fani-Kayode accused Von-Batten of smear campaign against Tinubu which he described as a distractive nuisance.
He frowned at the bribery allegations made against the president by the firm.
‘Frankly you have constituted yourself into a distractive nuisance and source of mild irritation to many.
‘You are trying so hard to discredit our President and paint him as a mafia-like gangster and dangerous and callous villain even though he has not been indicted or convicted of any crime by any court of law in America or anywhere else.
‘You even went as far as to publish the asinine, absurd, mendacious and foul falsehood that he sent an agent and associate of his to you in an attempt to invite you to London and bribe you with 3 million USD in return for your silence without providing any tangible or concrete evidence.
‘That is the sordid level of lunacy, desperation and substance-induced fantasy that you have degenerated and resorted to.’ The ambassador wrote.
Fani-Kayode talked that the firm’s ongoing case on the drug trafficking allegation against Tinubu as he expressed confidence in the American judiciary system.
‘The reality is that you know that nothing will come of it and like my friend and brother, the Honorable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Festus Keyamo rightly said, it is “a storm in a tea cup” that is “going nowhere”.
‘Outside of that no-one is loosing any sleep over the ongoing disclosure case in the United States that you appear to be obsessed with or the legal mumbo jumbo, disjointed verbiage and empty threats that you constantly spew about reporting anyone and everyone that opposes your views and relentless onslaught to the American Congress, the FBI and the Trump White House.
‘Like most of us I have every confidence that the American Judiciary will do the right thing, uphold the rule of law, ensure that good sense and justice prevails, uphold the submissions of the FBI, the DEA and President Tinubu himself, uphold the latters legitimate privacy rights and not play into the slick and sleazy hands of you, your client, Aaron Greenspan, who initiated the proceedings, and all those that are egging you on.
‘You see President Tinubu’s destiny and fate is not in your hands but rather in the hands of God and the Nigerian people.’ He said.
Fani-Kayode thereafter dug into the background of Von-Batten, question his true identity.
He accused the PR practitioner who is of Nigerian descent, of adopting the surname of his wife.
‘I have been reliably informed that your ‘Von Batten’ surname came through your marriage to Elizabeth Von Batten.
‘This curious state of affairs raises concerns about why a man whose records carry a Nigerian name, Ikemefuna Okeke, is publicly known as ‘Karl Von Batten’.
‘Many are asking what type of man drops his fathers name and converts it to that of his spouse whose ancestry and name is clearly German?
‘What are you hiding Ikemefuna? Do you want to be a German by force? Or is your dream and aspiration to be regarded and remembered as an American/German and not a Nigerian?
‘Is there something in your history or past that you do not want us to know? Are you are ashamed of your ancestry and heritage or is it that you are just a gutless coward?
‘Perhaps it could be both. Or is it that your father disowned you and insisted that you stop using his family name?
‘Whatever the case it appears that in your marriage you are the wife and your wife is the husband.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if she wears male boxer shorts under her skirt whilst you wear female underwear under your trousers.
‘Surely no-one can trust a man who hides his true name and identity and instead uses that of his wife and who insists on wearing a woman’s dress.‘ He wrote.
The ex-minister accused Von-Batten of having shady character, labelling him a scammer.
‘Whatever the case the truth is that, at best, you are a shady character and, at worse, you are a seasoned scammer.
‘If this were not the case how did you manage to fool His Excellency Abubakar Atiku, the great Wazirin Adamawa, into paying you 1.2 million USD for pursuing a futile cause and treading a fruitless path that will lead to nowhere and end in NOTHING!
‘I guess you misled him and probably assured him that, as the final cherry on the cake, you will get him an audience, with red carpet treatment and the full works, at the White House and that you will throw in a walk in the Rose garden, a meeting in the Oval Office, a seat at the Resolute Desk and a walz in the newly-constructed White House Ball Room.’ He said.
While further questioning Von-Batten’s academic background, Fani-Kayode held that his firm’s smear campaign against Tinubu will fail.
‘Needless to say, despite your constant boasting about who you know, who you work for and what you claim you can do and in spite of your crass insolence and insufferable arrogance, you and your grotty little PR firm will fail in your vile and vicious onslaught against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because your claims are false and your petition is a big fat NOTHING-BURGER.’ He stated.