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    "headline": "US lobbying firm alleges $3 million offer to halt campaign against Nigeria's Tinubu",
    "dek": "US lobbying firm founder alleges $3 million offer to halt campaign against Nigerian President Tinubu.",
    "prose": "Von Batten-Montague-York, a US-based policy advisory and lobbying firm linked to former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, alleged on its X account that its founder Karl Von Batten was offered $3 million and an invitation to a confidential meeting in London to end the firm's campaign against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. [^1]\n\nSunday Dare, Special Adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, dismissed the $3 million allegation as political speculation and said Von Batten-Montague-York was a commercial lobbyist, not an arm of the US government. [^2]\n\nSunday Dare, Special Adviser to Tinubu, cited US Foreign Agents Registration Act filings, claiming that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar retained Von Batten-Montague-York for $1.2 million for 12 months to counter Nigerian government narratives ahead of the 2027 election. [^3]\n\nVon Batten-Montague-York stated that its founder Karl Von Batten rejected the $3 million offer, preserved copies of the communications, and that the firm would submit the exchanges to the US Department of Justice and FBI for review. [^4]\n\nSpecial Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, dismissed the claims as political speculation and challenged the firm to produce a classified intelligence report or documentary evidence. [^5]\n\nVon Batten-Montague-York stated the alleged offer was intended to persuade Dr. Karl Von Batten to end its campaign concerning allegations relating to President Bola Tinubu's alleged heroin-trafficking records. [^6]",
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    {
      "statement": "Von Batten-Montague-York, a US-based policy advisory and lobbying firm linked to former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, alleged on its X account that its founder Karl Von Batten was offered $3 million and an invitation to a confidential meeting in London to end the firm's campaign against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.",
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      "statement": "Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, dismissed the $3 million allegation as political speculation and said Von Batten-Montague-York was a commercial lobbyist, not an arm of the US government.",
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    {
      "statement": "Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to Tinubu, cited US Foreign Agents Registration Act filings, claiming that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar retained Von Batten-Montague-York for $1.2 million for 12 months to counter Nigerian government narratives ahead of the 2027 election.",
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      "statement": "Von Batten-Montague-York stated that its founder Karl Von Batten rejected the $3 million offer, preserved copies of the communications, and that the firm would submit the exchanges to the US Department of Justice and FBI for review.",
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      "statement": "Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, dismissed the claims as political speculation and challenged the firm to produce a classified intelligence report or documentary evidence.",
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      "statement": "Von Batten-Montague-York stated the alleged offer was intended to persuade Dr. Karl Von Batten to end its campaign concerning allegations relating to President Bola Tinubu's alleged heroin-trafficking records.",
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