US Lobby firm has warned Tinubu and Keyamo over court ruling nullifying Atiku’s ADC candidacy.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that a United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has warned President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, that the court ruling nullifying the candidacy of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will be their “doom.”
The firm also threatened to take evidence to the Trump administration and the US Congress.
In a post on its verified X handle on Thursday, the firm said the judgment that sacked the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC was not an ordinary court matter. It alleged that the Tinubu administration influenced the ruling out of fear of Atiku’s growing support ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The firm further alleged that Tinubu’s officials reportedly met on Wednesday night, after the large turnout at Atiku’s campaign rally in Sokoto, and that the meeting produced the ruling.
“Apparently scared by yesterday’s turnout in support of former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who happens to be President Tinubu’s main political opponent, Tinubu’s officials reportedly met last night, and the result of that meeting is allegedly this highly suspicious court ruling,” the firm stated.
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It said the Nigerian Presidency picked the wrong time to carry out what it described as its latest alleged attempt to rig the upcoming presidential election.
Keyamo singled out
The firm singled out Keyamo, saying his portfolio has nothing to do with elections or electoral integrity. It said it will present his X post to members of the Trump administration and Congress.
According to the firm, Keyamo openly celebrated what a senior congressional staffer described as an “open display of election interference by the Nigerian government.” It said his post will be used as evidence in Washington that the judgment was political, not judicial.
“The court case nullifying Atiku will be your doom. You celebrated too early. Washington is watching,” the firm warned Tinubu and Keyamo.
Background
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday, declaring illegal the Mark-led ADC Caretaker Committee, which organised the primary that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential flag bearer. The ruling also invalidated the emergence of former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary and other national officers appointed under the Mark-led leadership.
The ADC has rejected the judgment, describing it as legally indefensible and linking its timing to the party’s Sokoto presidential rally. It cited a conflicting ruling by another Federal High Court judge on July 2, 2026, which affirmed the Mark-led leadership. Atiku has also condemned the ruling, describing it as a calculated attempt to weaken the ADC.
Keyamo welcomed the Federal High Court ruling that invalidated the ADC leadership chaired by Mark.
