Von Batten-Montague-York vindicated as Tinubu misses UN General Assembly
By OUR REPORTER
A report allegedly linked Nigerian government officials with a statement saying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not only attend the UNGA but would also sit in the front roll with President Trump, while Von Batten-Montague-York stood its ground, by indication of its releases, that the US president would not be involved in any such sitting arrangement.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, with Vice President Kashim Shettima instead leading Nigeria’s delegation to the annual global gathering.
The development has been described by supporters of US-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. (VBMY), as vindication of the firm’s earlier public statements concerning Tinubu’s planned attendance at the UNGA.
The Presidency announced on Sunday September 20, 2026 that Tinubu had mandated Shettima to represent him and lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st session of the General Assembly in New York.
Shettima is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement during the General Debate, scheduled for September 22 to 28, and participate in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements.
The delegation will include Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, ministers and other senior government officials.
The decision ends weeks of speculation over whether Tinubu would personally attend the gathering. Earlier in September, VBMY had said Tinubu would not be arrested if he attended the UNGA but claimed that he could face embarrassment in New York.
The firm specifically said it was mobilising a campaign against the Nigerian president in connection with his Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and DEA records now laid before a United States court confirming that the president has a criminally investigated case in the Donald Trump-led country.
It revealed that the Nigerian president’s lobby to meet Trump during the UNGA would not happen as the US system would not permit the US president to hold such meetings with a president with unresolved drugs and money laundering cases still hanging in his neck and that it was bringing the Tinubu’s matter to the attention of all world leaders who would be attending the United Nations annual event, adding that, should be dates to attend, he was going to face global embarrassment.
A report allegedly linked Nigerian government officials with a statement saying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not only attend the UNGA but would also sit in the front roll with President Trump, while Von Batten-Montague-York stood its ground, by indication of its releases, that the US president would not be involved in any such sitting arrangement.
However, the firm’s earlier statements did not establish that Tinubu would ultimately stay away from the UNGA. The Presidency has also not publicly stated that his decision not to attend was connected to VBMY’s claims.
The 81st UNGA General Debate will be held under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
