Nigeria, April 5 -- Nigeria's former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has signed a $1.2 million (about N1.9 billion) contract with a United States lobbying firm as he intensifies moves ahead of a likely presidential ticket contest within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), PREMIUM TIMES can report.

Documents filed with the US Department of Justice show that Atiku engaged Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a Washington-based lobbying firm, under a 12-month deal signed on 10 March and formally registered with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Unit on 1 April.

According to the filing, the firm will provide strategic advisory, congressional and executive branch engagement, and reputational management services targeted at the US policy...