A Washington-based lobbying firm linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on members of a Peoples Democratic Party faction to provide verifiable evidence of alleged political interference ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The call follows an allegation by the Taminu Turaki-led PDP faction of a plot to stop a ratification ceremony for former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate.
The camp, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Friday, berated the Federal Capital Territory Administration for threatening to shut down the venue of the event if it was allowed to use the facility.
“We have been informed by the proprietors of A Class Event Centre of the threat by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to shut down their business premises if the Peoples Democratic Party is allowed to use their hall for our presidential candidate ratification ceremonies,” the statement read.
The faction, however, vowed that the event would go ahead as scheduled on Saturday (today), stating that it had fulfilled all requirements for the use of the venue, including payment and notification to security agencies.
Reacting in a post on its X handle on Friday, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. said Atiku instructed the firm to advocate for free and fair elections in Nigeria.
The firm revealed that members of the US Congress had requested assistance in documenting credible allegations of election and political interference by the current Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu.
It said, “We would like to speak with members of the PDP (@OfficialPDPNig) who can provide credible, verifiable, and indisputable evidence regarding the reported election interference by @GovWike described below. Please email [email protected].”
Von Batten-Montague-York was hired by Atiku in a $1.2 million contract earlier in 2026 to strengthen his reputational standing in the United States.
PUNCH Online reports that the Jonathan 2027 endorsement further tore the PDP factions apart on Friday.
Rival camp led by supporters of Wike questioned the legitimacy and authority of the Turaki-led faction to endorse Jonathan, a week after Senator Sandy Onor was screened, cleared and officially presented as the PDP’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
In a statement on Friday, its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, called on security agencies to investigate and prosecute those behind what it described as an attempt to create political tension and disrepute within the polity.
Mohammed also urged Jonathan to publicly distance himself from the development, saying the party had concluded primaries for all elective positions in line with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission, provisions of the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.
In a related development, the FCTA threatened to revoke title documents of any event centre, public building or hotel that allows its facilities to be used by what it described as illegal organisations.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, said the directive was part of measures to strengthen security and maintain peace in the nation’s capital.
“In view of the need to further ensure the security of lives and properties in the FCT and sustain the efforts of security agencies in this regard, usage of event centres, hotels and other public buildings will now be closely monitored.
“This is aimed at ensuring that they are not used by illegal organisations for gatherings capable of disrupting the peace of the nation’s capital.
“Going forward, title documents of any event centre, hotel or public building that is used for the gathering of illegal organisations will be revoked,” it said.
