Atiku conspiring with US-based Charlatans to undermine Credibility of 2027 Elections, TDF alleges Politics

By Olawale LaminaA pro-democracy group, The Democratic Front, TDF, has expressed outrage over the reported conspiracy between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a US-based lobbyist, Von Batten-Montague-York, LC ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a statement by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad and the Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group accused the former Vice President of using the lobbyist whose real name is Edward Ikemefuna to invent spurious allegations that could undermine the forthcoming elections in Nigeria

“It is pertinent to state that, not in our wildest imagination, did we expect the former Vice President to work with deceptive parties to mislead foreign governments with spurious and unfounded claims that are capable of scuttling democracy in Nigeria.

“This is exactly what Edward Ikemefuna, the US-based Nigerian lobbyist operating as Von Batten-Montague-York, LC, whom Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has engaged to lobby the US government is seeking to do.

“It is public knowledge that the present status of Nigeria’s democracy is that of a multi-party system in which 20 registered political parties are currently holding internal primaries to nominate candidates for elections into various political offices. So we consider it irresponsible for the former Vice President to insist on pushing the narrative of an imaginary plot by the government to impose a one-party state on Nigerians,” TDF said:

The group also observed that it a moral and political somersault for the former VP Atiku to continue to engage lobbyists in order to convince the US government on the false claim that the President Tinubu administration is intimidating the opposition, just to blackmail Nigeria’s Justice system on the ongoing trials of some of his close political associates, who are facing trial for misappropriation of public funds, and administrative malfeasance.

It accused the ADC presidential candidate of lust for power and pursuit of a personal political agenda to the level of reporting a duly elected democratic government to an American President.

“We view it as a desecration of the constitution by a Nigerian who once enjoyed the privilege of being a Vice President.”

The group also observed that the former Vice President is taking reckless risks by engaging in acts that conflict with Nigeria’s interests.

“For us, his current partnership with lobbyists with a chequered political history to promote heretic falsehood about democracy in Nigeria is borne out of a realisation that the 2027 presidential election will not go his way, as evident in the collapse of the opposition coalition he built against President Tinubu.

“We are therefore not surprised that the consolatory goal of the former Vice President is to discredit the upcoming elections, by misleading the international community, ” the group added.

TDF therefore called on all Nigerians, regardless of ethnicity or religion, to condemn Atiku Abubarka’s antics and reject his alleged political manipulations.