Ex-APC spokesman Timi Frank alleges plot to frustrate Atiku's 2027 ambition
- Former APC spokesman Timi Frank accused President Tinubu's administration of deploying the judiciary to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections
- Frank alleged that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike was being used as an intermediary to influence judicial actors against opposition politicians
- Frank urged the US government and international community to closely monitor political developments in Nigeria before the 2027 polls
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Abuja, FCT - Former All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank, on Thursday accused President Bola Tinubu's administration of using the courts to weaken opposition parties, warning that the development could trigger a political crisis before the 2027 general elections.
Frank issued the warning in a statement released in reaction to a recent court judgment, which he said raised serious concerns about efforts to frustrate the presidential ambitions of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and undermine the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Source: Twitter
Frank Alleges Judicial Manipulation
Frank described the judgment as a calculated move by those in power to contain the opposition's growing political influence. He alleged that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike was being used to coordinate pressure on judicial actors against opposition politicians.
He also claimed that consultations and political meetings were held immediately after Atiku's visit to Sokoto, which had attracted significant public attention, adding that the alleged judicial moves came after earlier attempts to block the Sokoto event 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," Frank said.
He called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to protect judicial independence, warning that courts seen as extensions of the ruling party would erode public trust in democratic institutions.
"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.
Timi Frank Calls for US and International Action
Frank appealed directly to the United States Government to call the Tinubu administration to order, urging other international partners to monitor Nigeria closely ahead of 2027.
"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.
The former APC spokesman insisted the matter went beyond Atiku personally, framing it as a question about the survival of Nigeria's multiparty democracy. He challenged Tinubu to prove his popularity through free and fair elections rather than through the courts.
Frank also urged opposition supporters, civil society groups, youths, and elder statesmen to remain united in defending democratic and judicial institutions, cautioning that a precedent set against one political leader could one day be turned against another.
"No political camp should celebrate, because what happens to Atiku today could happen to another political leader tomorrow," he said.
Source: Legit.ng
