US Trip: Atiku’s lodging in President Trump’s hotel is “Sakamanjay” – Investigations reveal

*Brian Ballard hire an offshoot of Dubai resolution – Report

Realising that it was difficult to do, their hired Ballard, confirmed President Trump’s closer associate in collaboration with Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki on whose ‘special diplomatic waiver’ Atiku was smuggled into the United States, got him lodged into one of the President Trump’s many hotels across the to make it look like the American Government has endorsed their Atiku against President Muhammadu Buhari. It is not correct, he said.

The DEFENDER’s investigation has revealed a fresh dimension to the last week’s Friday’s trip of the Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the United States of America, which has been described as “sakamanjay”.

“Sakamanjay” is a new slang in Nigeria for camouflaging, that is, making the unreal look like real.

Our source (details withheld) told us in Lagos, Nigeria’s former Federal Capital Territory, on Wednesday that what happened was truly aimed at seeking America’s President Donald Trump’s endorsement, which was why Brian Ballard was hired by PDP and its presidential candidate Atiku as shown in agreement they both signed on 21 September 2018 as lobbyist to warm their aspiration into the heart of the US President.

Realising that it was difficult to do, their hired Ballard, confirmed President Trump’s closer associate in collaboration with Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki on whose ‘special diplomatic waiver’ Atiku was smuggled into the United States, got him lodged into one of the President Trump’s many hotels across the to make it look like the American Government has endorsed their Atiku against President Muhammadu Buhari. It is not correct, he said.

Recall that Brian Ballard, a top US lobbyist, was hired by PDP on 21 September 2018 ahead of the 2019 elections on understanding that he would be paid $90,000 per month. This was reported by all the serious media including The DEFENDER.

Our source however was worried that Nigerians do not live by history as, according to him, they just pick issues at surface and begin to react without thinking deeply.

He said, “If they knew very well, they needed not to look at President Trump or American system when Saraki did what he did smuggling Atiku to the US. They should have quickly dug into the recent past and see that it was the work of Lobbyist Ballard for which reason only by Saraki’s diplomatic passport the man in question, Atiku, could be moved in. 

“In that case, the wide jubilation that PDP supporters burst into upon his return from the US last Saturday would have turned sour because they should know that their party had further placed Atiku in more international corruption. I believe the Government of Nigeria has this fact and it is the reason, I think they refuse to be touched by the visit. 

“But are PDP handlers in the know of how exposed their fake plots are to this government of Muhammadu Buhari? May be they do, because it can only take a frustrated group of people who know they are already finished to rant the way they do. How can you come back to Nigeria and tell the world that Atiku now has global support whereas Buhari has no friends all over the world? It is sad,” he said.

In his submission, a President Muhammadu Buhari’s supporter in Lagos, Mr Saheed Ololade Sheremekun said: “They made Atiku to lodge in Trump Hotel to make it appear like the government of America has hands in it. President Donald Trump does not know about his coming to that country.”

When asked if it was his own analysis or fact, he said, “That was what I found out. The problem is that, Trump Hotels are all over in America and so they will want him (Atiku) to use one especially the one in New York. At least he can pay for a room and it is not everybody that lodges there they will now say we must know whether you are a criminal or not. It is an hotel that anybody can lodge into, so far he can pay.

“So, they wanted to just use that to look as an approval of the government of America. It is not true,” he said.

The PDP on 21 September 2018 hired the first of Brian Ballard, a top US lobbyist, Ballard Partners Inc, ahead of the 2019 elections to warm their candidate, Atiku, into the heart of President of America, Donald Trump.

The influential lobbyist has President Donald Trump as one of his clients. Politico Magazine, a top publication in the US, says Ballard is closer to the US than perhaps any other lobbyist in town.

According TheCable, “He’s parlayed that relationship into a booming business helping clients get their way with the Trump administration — and his clients and even some of his rivals say his firm has a better grasp of what’s going on in the West Wing than almost anyone else,” the magazine said in a report.

“Ballard was one of the top fundraisers in the country for Trump’s campaign and continues to raise millions for his reelection campaign. Wiles, one of his top lieutenants, ran Trump’s campaign in Florida and delivered the nation’s biggest swing state to the president.”

Documents TheCable claimed to have seen showed that Nigeria’s main opposition party had agreed to pay $90,000 (N31.5m) to Ballard Partners Inc. on a monthly basis throughout the duration of the contract.

It was gathered that the contract which was signed on September 21, 2018 is for a year, meaning Ballard would rake in close to N400 million from the deal. 

“This contract is entered into between the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria (“the Client”), Plot l970 Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, and Ballard Partners, Inc. (“the Firm”), 601 13th Street NW, Suite 450N, Washington, D. C. 20005,” the agreement read.

“This agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods on the anniversary of the effective date of the agreement unless either party terminates the agreement. Upon renewal this agreement may be terminated within thirty (30) days written notice by either party.

“Duties of the firm. It shall be the Firm’s duty to consult with the Client and advocate on its behalf those issues the client deems necessary and appropriate before the US Federal government. Issues and objectives may include, but not be limited to, enhancement of US Nigerian relations; strengthening and advancing democratic values and the rule of law in Nigeria, with a special focus in the coming months on maintaining political and security conditions free of intimidation and interference in order to ensure the success and fairness of Nigeria’s national election for president in 2019. It shall further be the Firm’s duty to inform the Client of developments in legislation and policy relevant to the Client’s issues and objectives.

“It shall be the Client’s duty to provide the Firm the information necessary to best represent the Client. It shall also be the Client’s duty to timely compensate the Firm for its services.

“Compensation. The Firm shall receive from the Client $90,000 a month, payable in quarterly installments for this agreement, plus the reasonable costs associated with the representation, including but not limited to, necessary registration fees; and travel expenses.”

Osita Chidoka, a former minister of aviation, signed the contract on behalf of the PDP.

This report comes two weeks after Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the party, led PDP stalwarts to Dubai for a strategy meeting.

In 2014, APC engaged AKPD Media and Messages, a top US firm, as political strategists.
The political consulting firm was co-founded by David Axelrod, a President Barack Obama confidant. He was a chief campaign adviser to Obama during the campaign for the presidency in 2008 and was later appointed as senior presidential advisor.

Another US firm Levick, led by former US President Bill Clinton’s confidant Lanny Davis, was hired by the Jonathan administration in a consultancy deal with the News Agency of Nigeria, also in 2014.