Von Batten-Montague-York alleges the President is seeking to remain in office and links his political ambitions to concerns over possible foreign legal scrutiny

A United States-based advocacy firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of using state institutions to influence the outcome of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The firm made the allegations in a statement published on its verified X account on Thursday, as political activities and preparations for the 2027 elections gradually intensify across Nigeria.

The statement followed reports that five men were arrested in Borno State for allegedly wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan, “Tinubu Must Go.”

Von Batten-Montague-York alleged that the Tinubu administration could deploy institutions including the police, courts and electoral authorities in an attempt to influence the 2027 presidential election.

The advocacy firm also called on the United States to support Nigerians in protecting democratic institutions, political freedoms and the rule of law ahead of the elections.

In its statement, the firm alleged that Tinubu was “desperate to remain in power” for what it described as “many self-beneficial reasons.”

It specifically referred to head-of-state immunity, arguing that the doctrine could shield a sitting president from the jurisdiction of foreign courts while in office.

The firm further alleged that Tinubu’s presidency could prevent what it described as a possible “official re-examination” of allegations concerning his alleged involvement in heroin trafficking from Nigeria into the United States during the 1980s and 1990s.

According to the firm, his position as Nigeria’s President was the only factor preventing a possible new criminal indictment over the allegations.

The claims made by Von Batten-Montague-York remain allegations and have not been independently verified.

There is no indication in the statement that any new criminal proceedings have been initiated against President Tinubu in the United States over the allegations cited by the firm.

The Nigerian government and the Presidency had not issued an official response to the advocacy firm's latest claims at the time of filing this report.

The controversy comes as political parties and politicians begin positioning themselves ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with debates over democratic freedoms, political opposition and the independence of state institutions expected to feature prominently in the run-up to the polls.