Former Federal lawmaker Hon. Rotimi Makinde, of Ife extraction, has declared unwavering solidarity with Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, amid what he described as a “baseless, malicious and politically motivated” $36 million threat issued by Karl Von Batten and his firm, Von Batten-Montague-York.
Makinde, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement on Thursday obtained by Veracity Desk (veracitydesk.com) condemned the allegations that Fani-Kayode threatened to kidnap and harm opponents, calling them “laughable” and a desperate attempt to silence a strong defender of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government.
“We know Chief Fani-Kayode as a man of intellect, courage and words, not violence. Nigeria is not a banana republic. Our government does not kidnap opposition figures,” Makinde asserted.
He challenged Von Batten to produce evidence of the alleged threats, insisting that without proof, “no evidence, no case.” Makinde further alleged that the move was orchestrated by Atiku Abubakar through foreign lobbyists to distract the government ahead of the 2027 elections.
Standing firmly with Fani-Kayode, Makinde declared:
This solidarity statement underscores the deep political ties between the two Ile-Ife leaders and highlights ongoing tensions between Nigeria’s ruling party and opposition forces, particularly in the international arena.
