Tinubu Wanted Trump Meeting, US Firm Says Mining Deal Was The Price

A Washington lobbying firm working for Atiku Abubakar has alleged that the US-Nigeria mining MOU was the price President Bola Tinubu offered just to get a meeting with Donald Trump. The firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, said it reached out to the Trump administration and the signing at the UN was cancelled immediately.

They said in their statement: "The United States got the mines; President Tinubu got no meeting." So Nigeria was ready to hand over critical metals and minerals, and we did not even get the handshake. Tinubu reportedly stayed in France while Trump signed other agreements at the UN.

Who is suffering? The same trader in Balogun market selling ankara, the same young person looking for work. They are selling our ground for a photo opportunity that never happened. If this is how we negotiate, what exactly are we protecting?