A United States-based lobbying firm engaged by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has vowed to push for sanctions against officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and politicians found culpable of electoral malpractice in Nigeria.
The firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, said it would recommend punitive measures, including asset freezes and travel bans, against individuals accused of undermining the country’s electoral process.
In a statement released on Wednesday via its official X handle, the Washington-based outfit declared that it would begin identifying and spotlighting electoral offenders for possible sanctions by the US government.
It stated, “We will recommend to the Office of the President and Congress that Global Magnitsky sanctions be imposed on any Nigerian politician or official of INEC who engages in efforts to rig Nigeria’s ongoing electoral process.
“These measures should include freezing all foreign assets, restricting access to the global financial system, and imposing travel bans on individuals and their immediate family members.”
The development comes amid renewed concerns in the international community over alleged irregularities in Nigeria’s electoral system.
While acknowledging that the US State Department had previously affirmed INEC’s capacity to conduct credible elections, the firm accused the commission of demonstrating “weaknesses” when faced with deliberate interference by political actors.
According to the statement, such vulnerabilities were evident during the 2023 general elections, warning that “current developments suggest the same pattern may be emerging again.”
Although the US Congress is currently on Easter recess, the firm disclosed that it had begun engaging key lawmakers and would brief congressional leadership and senior officials at the National Security Council in the coming days.
It also took a swipe at the previous US administration, stating that unlike former President Joe Biden, the current leadership under President Donald Trump may adopt a tougher stance.
“Unlike the Biden Administration, which took no meaningful action in 2023, it is not in President Donald Trump’s nature to remain passive in the face of an election being openly undermined,” the firm added.
The lobbying group maintained that its intervention was aimed at ensuring accountability and protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.
Atiku had recently contracted the firm in a deal reportedly worth $1.2 million to strengthen his international reputation and counter the Nigerian government’s lobbying efforts in the United States.
Documents filed with the US Department of Justice show that the agreement, signed in March 2026, includes facilitating high-level engagements between the former vice-president and US officials, as well as providing strategic guidance on policy positioning and reputation management.
The firm is also expected to help shape Atiku’s engagement with members of the US Congress while advancing narratives favourable to his political standing.
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