‘US cannot afford to let Tinubu rig 2027 Polls’ — Von Batten-Montague-York

A United States-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has called on the US to ensure that Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are free and fair, alleging that President Bola Tinubu must not be allowed to manipulate the polls.

The firm made the remarks in a post published on its verified X account on Thursday, according to Naija News.

In the statement, Von Batten-Montague-York claimed that there was a growing consensus across political divides that the Nigerian government under Tinubu was characterised by corruption.

The firm also criticised the President over the appointment of an unnamed official as Nigeria’s minister in charge of the national budget, alleging that the US Department of Justice had previously linked the individual to the embezzlement of billions of naira from Nigeria’s treasury under an earlier administration.

The firm’s post read: “It seems that, regardless of political leaning, there is a growing consensus that the Nigerian government and its leader, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu (@officialABAT), represent a bastion of corruption.”

It further alleged that Tinubu appointed an individual whom the US Department of Justice had accused of embezzling billions from Nigeria’s treasury during a previous administration to serve as the country’s current minister in charge of the budget.

Von Batten-Montague-York also raised concerns about the conduct of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the United States had a stake in ensuring a credible electoral process in Nigeria.

“The U.S. cannot afford to allow President #Tinubu to rig the upcoming Nigerian election,” the firm stated.

It argued that what it described as lawlessness within the Nigerian government could place the country on a path similar to those experienced in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The firm added that credible elections in Nigeria were important not only for the country’s democratic process but also for protecting US interests in Nigeria and the wider region.

“Free and fair elections in Nigeria are essential to protecting U.S. interests in Nigeria and the broader region,” the statement read.

The post did not establish that the US government had adopted the firm’s position or confirmed its allegations against Tinubu.

The claims concerning the President, the unnamed minister and the prospect of electoral manipulation remain assertions made by Von Batten-Montague-York.

The statement comes as political parties and stakeholders continue to position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections, with electoral credibility, governance and the role of international partners likely to remain subjects of public debate.

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