A candidate seeking election as a Reform councillor in a crucial battleground area, despite facing initial disqualification due to offensive social media posts, now alleges that he fell victim to a Nigerian scam operation.
Graham Holland was initially barred from running by Reform for his “inappropriate social media” content, but was later allowed to proceed after presenting what the party deemed as “new evidence.”
Holland, vying for a seat in Reform’s targeted Bexley region in south-east London, explained that he was ensnared in an elaborate scam originating from Africa. The former Conservative councillor, who described himself as a born-again Christian, referenced advice from his “computer guru” friend Gareth, whom he consulted at the Chunky Teapot café.
Despite reposting contentious statements on social media, including claims about Muslims, Holland told the Mirror that his Twitter account had been compromised by scammers based in Nigeria, who also infiltrated his account to publish the controversial posts.
When questioned about the authenticity of the tweets, Holland maintained that his account had been hijacked by the Nigerian scammers. He further asserted that his computer expert informed him of similar hacking incidents on Facebook.
Reform leader Nigel Farage has expressed optimism about the party’s chances in winning over the Conservative-held Bexley area. Although Holland’s initial candidacy was rejected due to reposted inflammatory content, he eventually secured nomination to contest the Blackfen and Lamorbey ward after submitting a fresh application.
Holland claimed to have provided evidence to Reform demonstrating that he was a victim of hacking by Nigerian scammers, including a WhatsApp message from his computer expert confirming the unauthorized posts on his account.
In late March, Reform’s leader praised the handling of vetting procedures, emphasizing improvements in the party’s screening process despite past shortcomings.
Moreover, recent revelations have exposed Reform’s recruitment tactics, including engaging individuals as nominal candidates. Additionally, disturbing viewpoints expressed by some Reform candidates have come to light in recent weeks.
A spokesperson for Reform UK stated that Holland successfully passed subsequent vetting assessments by presenting compelling evidence proving his lack of control over the contentious social media account.
