A United States lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., says it has started engaging senior members of the Donald Trump administration and members of Congress over what it calls President Bola Tinubu’s alleged attempt to use the Nigerian judiciary to rig the upcoming Nigerian presidential election.
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., made the claim in a statement posted on X.
The firm said the US State Department has documented corruption within Nigeria’s judiciary and political pressure exerted by Nigerian government officials on the courts.
It added that members of Congress are returning to Washington, D.C., after the midterm elections, and that any failure by this 119th Congress and the State Department to prevent President Tinubu from openly rigging the upcoming election will be a stain on the legacy of both institutions.
“We are engaging with senior members of the Donald Trump Administration and Congress about Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s latest blatant attempt to use the Nigerian judiciary to rig the upcoming Nigerian presidential election,” the firm said.
The statement came after a Federal High Court judgment on the leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The judgment nullified the David Mark-led leadership and invalidated Atiku’s nomination as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.
The firm described the timing of the ruling as suspicious, claiming that Tinubu’s officials met on Wednesday night after Atiku’s large rally in Sokoto, and that the ruling was the result of that meeting.
The firm also said the alleged move came at a time when Democrats in Congress are preparing to investigate Tinubu’s mining Memorandum of Understanding.
It warned that the alleged actions could push Nigeria closer to political unrest, with dire consequences for US interests and regional stability.