Questions surround Atiku lobbyist Von Batten’s name changes, citizenship disclosure

There has been much in the news about former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar hiring a lobbyist for $1.2 million to enhance his reputation in the United States as Nigeria heads into the 2027 general election.

Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is hoping to unseat President Bola Tinubu at the polls in January next year, hence the need to curry the support of Washington D.C.

Apart from the varied reactions the $1.2 million deal has elicited from the public, scrutiny has also focused on the lobbyist himself, who has undergone at least five name changes, failed to disclose how he obtained U.S. citizenship in filings and has records containing other inconsistencies.

The discrepancies have raised questions about his credibility and whether Atiku is receiving what he paid for.

FAILURE TO DISCLOSE HOW HE OBTAINED US CITIZENSHIP

In different Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filings with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) between 2023 and 2026, Karl-Marx Edward Ikemefuna William George Okeke-Von Batten of the Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. left out when and how he acquired American citizenship.

The form’s privacy act statement said provision of the requested information is mandatory and that failure to provide it is subject to FARA’s enforcement provisions.

However, under 22 U.S.C. § 618(a), a criminal matter could be instituted against him if he had willfully omitted a material fact required to be stated if the prosecution can establish that. The maximum penalty is up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both.

Under § 618(f), the attorney-general can seek an order requiring someone to comply with FARA or prohibiting them from continuing to act as an agent of a foreign principal and under § 618(g), if DOJ determines that a statement is deficient, it can notify the registrant and specify what needs to be corrected.

The DOJ regulations also specify that acceptance of a FARA filing does not mean it has certified that everything in it is accurate. It states that any defaulter can still be prosecuted if there is an earlier willful false statement or material omission.

For any of these to happen, the DOJ will have to establish that he willfully misled the US authorities.

INCONSISTENCIES

In FARA filings between 2023 and 2026, Von Batten has identified himself as holding different offices at his firm Batten-Montague-York, L.C.
His FARA filings also raise questions about his position within the firm, which he described differently across successive disclosures: he was listed as a partner/officer and founder in 2023, as an employee and associate while still retaining the title of founder in 2025, and again as a partner/officer and founder in 2026.
Apart from the inconsistencies in his role at his firm, Von Batten has had different names.

In his certificate of naturalization, dated March 14, 2006 and seen by this newspaper, the lobbyist is identified as Karl Marx Edward Okeke III.

His LinkedIn profile, however, gives his name as Karl-Marx Edward Ikemefuna William George Okeke-Von Batten, while his 2026 FARA filing relating to the Atiku engagement was signed Karl Von Batten; in another document, a 2022 contract with Somaliland, he used yet another variation, Karl-Marx Okeke-Von Batten.

The differing names appearing across his citizenship, professional and contractual records add another layer of questions surrounding the lobbyist’s identity and public disclosures.