Timi Frank: Tinubu is Plotting to Edge Atiku Out of 2027 Race

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of allegedly using judicial processes to undermine opposition parties and frustrate the presidential ambition of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Frank called on the United States Government and other international partners to intervene diplomatically, warning that perceived interference in judicial processes could erode public confidence in the courts and plunge Nigeria into political instability.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Frank said a recent court judgment involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC) had raised troubling questions about the independence of the judiciary and the political environment surrounding the 2027 elections.

He alleged that the judgment was part of a wider attempt to weaken the ADC and prevent Atiku from effectively participating in the presidential contest.

Describing the development as an attempt by powerful political interests to influence the opposition’s future, Frank warned that the judiciary must not become entangled in partisan political struggles.

“The recent court judgment has raised serious concerns about what appears to be a desperate act by the Presidency—an act reminiscent of a dying man clutching at straws.

“It is a desperate act from the Presidency. I must warn that the judiciary must stay clear of the 2027 elections. Its independence and impartiality are fundamental to the survival of our democracy,” he said.

Frank also alleged that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike was being used as an intermediary to influence judicial actors against opposition politicians.

He claimed that meetings and consultations allegedly took place after Atiku’s recent political engagement in Sokoto, which he said attracted significant public attention.

According to him, the alleged consultations were intended to frustrate Atiku’s political ambition after efforts to prevent the Sokoto outing from holding failed.

“We were aware that immediately after the Sokoto outing, there were meetings aimed at thwarting Atiku’s ambition. Despite all efforts to prevent the Sokoto event from holding, it went ahead and has remained the talk of the town. Now, they appear to have resorted to this approach,” he alleged.

The former APC spokesman urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria to defend the institutional independence of the judiciary and ensure that public confidence in the courts was not compromised by perceptions of political interference.

“The Chief Justice of Nigeria must wake up to her constitutional responsibilities as the guardian of judicial independence. The judiciary must not be perceived as an extension of the APC-led government.

“Such a perception will erode public confidence in our democratic institutions and could drive Nigeria towards anarchy,” he warned.

Frank expressed hope that the Court of Appeal would approach the matter with due regard for the law, insisting that judicial decisions must be guided by legal principles rather than political considerations.

He particularly appealed to the United States Government to call the Tinubu administration to order, while urging other international partners to monitor developments surrounding opposition participation and judicial independence in Nigeria.

“The international community, particularly the United States, must pay close attention to developments in Nigeria. The alleged weaponisation of the judiciary against the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections poses a grave threat to our democracy and could plunge Africa’s largest country into a serious political crisis,” he said.

Frank further alleged that the controversy was part of an effort to weaken opposition influence in northern Nigeria by targeting Atiku’s presidential ambition.

He insisted that the matter went beyond the political fortunes of one individual, arguing that the fundamental issue was whether Nigeria’s multiparty democracy could guarantee equal political rights to all contestants.

“If President Tinubu is genuinely popular, let him demonstrate it through free, fair and credible elections, conducted through the established mechanisms of INEC and not the judiciary.

“It is obvious that President Tinubu is afraid and does not want any contest. The only option left is to get Atiku out of his way through the courts,” Frank alleged.

He warned that government officials found culpable in any attempt to undermine the constitutional rights of opposition politicians would be held accountable.

“Let me make this clear: should anything go wrong, all government officials found responsible will be held accountable,” he declared.

Frank, however, urged opposition parties and their supporters not to allow the development to discourage their participation in the democratic process.

He called on youths, civil society organisations, elder statesmen and former political leaders to unite in defending judicial independence and democratic institutions.

He also cautioned political groups against celebrating legal or political setbacks suffered by their opponents, noting that a precedent affecting one political leader could eventually affect others.

“No political camp should celebrate, because what happens to Atiku today could happen to another political leader tomorrow,” he said.

Frank, who is also the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, maintained that Nigeria must not allow disagreements over political competition to degenerate into instability.

“This must not be seen as an Atiku issue alone; it concerns the future of every Nigerian and the survival of our democracy.

“Let us unite as a country—our youths, civil society organisations, elder statesmen and former leaders—to defend democracy and prevent anarchy through the protection of judicial independence.

“Nigeria must not be pushed into chaos,” he added.