“Tinubu Is Desperate to Remain in Power” — US Firm Cites Head-of-State Immunity
A United States advocacy firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is desperate to remain in office as Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections.
The firm made the claim in a statement published on its verified X account on Thursday, linking Tinubu’s alleged desire to remain in power to what it described as personal and legal interests.
According to the organisation, one of the reasons for the President’s alleged determination to remain in office is head-of-state immunity, which it said could protect a sitting president from the jurisdiction of foreign courts while in office.
The firm also accused the Tinubu administration of using the police, judiciary and electoral institutions in ways it claimed could influence the conduct of the 2027 elections.
The statement followed controversy surrounding the arrest and prosecution of five men in Borno State who were found wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go.”
The Borno State Police Command, however, said the men were not prosecuted simply because of the political message on the shirts.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested during a routine patrol in Maiduguri and were allegedly found with items including suspected cannabis, tablets, a shisha pot and scissors, alongside two T-shirts bearing the inscription.
The five men were subsequently charged with offences including criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case has generated public debate over freedom of expression and the treatment of political dissent ahead of the 2027 elections, with different groups offering varying reactions.
Against that backdrop, Von Batten-Montague-York said the United States should stand with Nigerians in defending democracy and the rule of law.
The organisation further claimed that Tinubu’s continued position as President could prevent what it described as a possible official re-examination of allegations concerning his alleged involvement in heroin trafficking from Nigeria to the United States during the 1980s and 1990s.
It also alleged that such a review could potentially lead to a new criminal indictment, while linking the claim to Tinubu’s present status as Nigeria’s President.
The allegations concerning Tinubu’s alleged past involvement in drug trafficking were made by the advocacy firm and have not been established as facts in this report.
The firm’s statement comes as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 elections, with debates over electoral credibility, institutional independence, political freedoms and the conduct of security agencies attracting national attention.
The Borno case has added to those discussions, particularly because the defendants were linked to clothing carrying an explicitly political message, although the police have maintained that the charges concern alleged conduct beyond merely wearing the shirts.
The case is expected to proceed through the courts as political debate surrounding the 2027 elections continues across the country.
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