Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has called on US President Donald Trump to hold Nigerian electoral officials, judges and security chiefs accountable for any role in manipulating the 2027 general elections.
Frank urged Washington to impose visa bans, freeze assets and restrict the financial activities of individuals found culpable of electoral fraud, warning that international pressure must come before the polls rather than after a disputed outcome.
In an open letter to Trump dated October 13, 2026, titled “No Mandate From Fraud: Election 2027,” Frank proposed a policy that would make credible elections a condition for normal diplomatic and economic engagement with Nigeria’s political leadership.
He argued that allowing electoral malpractice to go unpunished could undermine public confidence, deepen political instability and perpetuate poor governance.
Frank also raised concerns about the composition of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging that the concentration of people from President Bola Tinubu’s ethnic group in key positions could raise questions about the commission’s neutrality.
He warned that such concerns should be addressed before the 2027 elections to prevent a crisis of confidence in the electoral process.
“The Trump administration must act now to ensure electoral integrity in Nigeria. The time to act is before the elections, not after the damage has been done,” Frank said.
He called for a high-level US delegation to visit Nigeria and engage Tinubu, political parties and electoral authorities, with support from European allies, to press for credible polls.
The activist said sanctions should apply individually to anyone found to have manipulated results, regardless of political affiliation or official status.
He urged Washington to scrutinise the conduct of INEC’s chairman, national commissioners and senior officials, as well as the Inspector-General of Police and senior personnel of the Department of State Services, the armed forces and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Frank also called for sanctions against judicial officers who knowingly validate fraudulent results and security personnel who intimidate voters or facilitate electoral manipulation.
He insisted that security agencies must remain neutral and protect Nigerians exercising their democratic rights.
“Security forces must be reminded that their duty is to the Nigerian Constitution and people, not to a political party,” he said.
Beyond the elections, Frank linked Nigeria’s governance challenges to rising emigration, arguing that economic hardship and insecurity were among the factors driving citizens abroad.
He urged the United States to combine border enforcement with diplomatic efforts to address what he described as the conditions forcing Nigerians to seek opportunities elsewhere.
According to him, credible elections could help produce accountable governments capable of improving living standards, tackling insecurity and creating jobs.
Frank further argued that a politically stable Nigeria would serve American interests by strengthening cooperation in counterterrorism, energy development and regional security.
He also identified opportunities for US companies to invest in Nigeria’s electricity sector, provided the country adopts transparent and sustainable economic policies.
Frank described his proposed policy as consistent with Trump’s America First agenda, arguing that Washington should reconsider its relationship with any government whose legitimacy was challenged by credible evidence of electoral manipulation.
“A clear US message now that America will not do business as usual with any government, INEC official, judge, or security chief produced by or protecting a rigged election will save American lives, money, and border resources,” he said.
Frank maintained that early diplomatic pressure could discourage electoral malpractice and help protect the credibility of the 2027 polls.
“Nigeria is blessed with everything to succeed except leadership. Help Nigerians choose their leaders freely in 2027, and you will cut off a major source of immigration at its root,” he said.
He urged the Trump administration to place electoral integrity at the centre of its engagement with Nigeria ahead of the general elections.
