Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank, has urged United States President Donald Trump to intervene diplomatically to ensure credible elections in Nigeria in 2027.
Mr Frank called on the US government to impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans, asset freezes and financial restrictions, on electoral officials, judicial officers and security personnel found culpable of manipulating the elections.
He made the appeal in an open letter to Mr Trump titled “No Mandate From Fraud: Election 2027”, dated October 13, 2026.
The political activist urged the Trump administration to adopt what he described as a “No Mandate From Fraud” policy, arguing that credible elections were essential to accountable leadership, economic development and national stability.
Mr Frank also raised concerns about the composition of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging that the concentration of people from President Bola Tinubu’s ethnic group in key positions had raised questions about the commission’s impartiality.
“The current composition of INEC has raised concerns about alleged ethnic concentration in key positions. If the country proceeds to the 2027 general election under these circumstances, we fear that the process could be compromised from the outset,” he said.
He urged Washington to engage Mr Tinubu and other Nigerian political leaders before the elections, insisting that diplomatic intervention should precede the polls rather than follow alleged irregularities.
“The Trump administration must act now to ensure electoral integrity in Nigeria. The time to act is before the elections, not after the damage has been done,” he said.
Mr Frank also called on the US to send a high-level delegation to Nigeria and work with European allies to persuade the country’s political leadership and electoral authorities to guarantee credible elections.
He said anyone found to have manipulated the results should face individual sanctions, regardless of political affiliation, official position or influence.
“Any individual who participates in the manipulation, falsification, or rigging of the 2027 election will face immediate, individual consequences,” he said.
The proposed sanctions, according to him, should also cover judicial officers who knowingly validate fraudulent election results and security personnel who intimidate voters or facilitate electoral manipulation.
He specifically called for scrutiny of the conduct of INEC’s chairman, national commissioners and other senior officials, as well as the inspector-general of police and senior personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS), the armed forces and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Mr Frank said security agencies must remain politically neutral and protect voters irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Security forces must be reminded that their duty is to the Nigerian Constitution and people, not to a political party,” he said.
The activist linked electoral malpractice and poor governance to the migration of Nigerians seeking better economic opportunities and living conditions abroad.
He urged the US to complement its border enforcement measures with diplomatic initiatives to address what he described as the underlying causes of migration.
“Nigerians are not leaving Nigeria because they do not love their country. They are leaving because decades of rigged elections have produced leaders who destroy the economy, loot resources, and create insecurity,” he said.
“Border enforcement alone cannot solve this. We must address the cause at the source,” he added.
According to him, credible elections could produce accountable governments capable of improving economic conditions, tackling insecurity and creating opportunities that would encourage Nigerians to remain in the country.
He also said improved governance could encourage Nigerians in the diaspora to return and contribute to national development.
Mr Frank argued that his proposal aligned with Mr Trump’s America First policy, saying a stable and democratically governed Nigeria would serve the economic and security interests of both countries.
He said credible leadership in Nigeria could strengthen bilateral cooperation in counterterrorism, energy development and efforts to address the influence of rival powers in Africa.
He also highlighted opportunities for American companies to invest in Nigeria’s electricity sector through technology, investment and technical expertise, particularly under a government committed to transparent and sustainable economic policies.
The former APC official urged Washington to abandon what he described as business as usual in its dealings with governments whose legitimacy was disputed because of alleged electoral malpractice.
“A clear US message now that America will not do business as usual with any government, INEC official, judge, or security chief produced by or protecting a rigged election will save American lives, money, and border resources,” he said.
Mr Frank maintained that early diplomatic engagement could deter electoral malpractice and encourage Nigerian authorities to protect the integrity of the 2027 elections.
“Nigeria is blessed with everything to succeed except leadership. Help Nigerians choose their leaders freely in 2027, and you will cut off a major source of immigration at its root,” he said.
He urged the Trump administration to make electoral integrity a priority in its diplomatic engagement with Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr Frank is the ULMWP ambassador for East Africa and the Middle East and a senior adviser to the Global Friendship City Association in the United States.