Von Batten-Montague-York Engages Trump Administration, US Congress Over Alleged Tinubu Plot to Influence Judiciary Ahead of 2027 Election
Group urges State Department, lawmakers to prevent alleged manipulation of Nigerian judiciary ahead of presidential poll
By OUR REPORTER
According to the organisation, the US Department of State has previously documented corruption within Nigeria’s judiciary and alleged political pressure by government officials on the courts.
Von Batten-Montague-York has disclosed that it has commenced engagements with senior members of the administration of United States President Donald Trump and members of the US Congress over what it described as Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s alleged attempt to use the country’s judiciary to manipulate the forthcoming 2027 presidential election.
The organisation made this known in a statement, saying its engagement with American government officials and lawmakers began on Thursday.
It expressed concern over what it characterised as an attempt by the Tinubu administration to deploy the Nigerian judicial system to influence the outcome of the next presidential election.
According to the organisation, the US Department of State has previously documented corruption within Nigeria’s judiciary and alleged political pressure by government officials on the courts.
Citing a report by the US State Department, Von Batten-Montague-York quoted the report as stating that: “Massive and widespread corruption affected all sectors of the Nigerian government, including the judiciary and security services.”
The organisation argued that the concerns raised in the American government’s own assessment of Nigeria’s institutions should attract serious attention from Washington, particularly as the country approaches another presidential election.
It further disclosed that it would sustain its engagements with members of the US Congress as lawmakers return to Washington, DC, following the midterm elections.
Von Batten-Montague-York warned that any failure by the 119th US Congress and the State Department to take steps against what it described as an attempt to rig Nigeria’s forthcoming presidential election could undermine the credibility and legacy of both institutions.
It maintained that the United States should not remain indifferent to developments capable of threatening electoral integrity and democratic accountability in Nigeria.
The organisation’s intervention comes amid heightened political tensions and growing controversies surrounding Nigeria’s political institutions and the role of the judiciary ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, the allegations against President Tinubu remain the position of Von Batten-Montague-York and have not been independently established in the statement.
