A United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has warned President Bola Tinubu that the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) could become a defining moment in his political downfall.
The firm accused the Nigerian government of celebrating a court ruling that could affect the presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom it described as Tinubu’s main opponent ahead of the 2027 general election.
Von Batten-Montague-York issued the warning while reacting to a social media post by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who had commented on the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a post on X, the firm accused officials of the Tinubu administration of openly celebrating a ruling that it claimed could eliminate the President’s leading political rival from the forthcoming presidential election.
“Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s (@officialABAT) agents and officials are truly the gift that keeps on giving,” the firm wrote.
“The Nigerian Presidency is openly celebrating a court ruling that reportedly indicates they arranged to eliminate current Nigerian President Tinubu’s main rival in the upcoming Nigerian presidential election.”
The firm criticised Keyamo’s reaction, arguing that the aviation minister’s comments could be interpreted as evidence of the government’s involvement in efforts to undermine the opposition.
It disclosed that it would present Keyamo’s post to officials of the administration of United States President Donald Trump and members of the US Congress.
“We are going to be presenting the @X post of @fkeyamo, President Tinubu’s Minister of Aviation, whose government portfolio has nothing to do with elections or electoral integrity, openly celebrating what a senior congressional staffer described as an ‘open display of election interference by the Nigerian government,’ to members of the @realDonaldTrump administration and Congress,” the statement added.
Von Batten-Montague-York further warned Tinubu that the development could have serious political consequences, suggesting that the President’s reaction to the judgment might eventually work against him.
“We have a prediction for current Nigerian President Tinubu: In a few months, you are going to look at this court ruling and @fkeyamo’s post as the defining moment when the rope the United States has been giving you to figuratively hang yourself finally became the instrument of your own political downfall,” the firm stated.
The warning followed Thursday’s judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the leadership of the ADC led by former Senate President David Mark and declared its actions on behalf of the party invalid.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment while ruling on a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the party from the North-East, who challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership emerged.
Gombe had argued that he was entitled to take over the party’s leadership following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
He asked the court to nullify decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The plaintiff maintained that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.
The court upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs he sought, effectively invalidating decisions taken by the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, including the primary election that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Atiku had earlier been presented as the ADC presidential candidate, with former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi selected as his running mate.