Former Governors of Bayelsa and Rivers states, Senator Seriake Dickson and Rotimi Amaechi, have warned that Nigeria’s democracy faces grave danger from electoral fraud, voter apathy, and political manipulation as the 2027 general elections draw closer.
The two leaders spoke at the fifth anniversary lecture of First Daily Newspaper held on Monday in Abuja. The event, attended by politicians, diplomats, and media executives, had as its theme, “2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?”
Chairman of the occasion, Senator Dickson, described election rigging as the “worst coup” against the sovereignty of the people, saying it undermines democracy more than any other act.
“Rigging of elections is the worst coup you can plan. When politicians, government officials, security agencies, and the electoral umpire collude to manipulate results, they violate the sovereignty of the people,” Dickson said.
He added that falsifying results or declaring outcomes not based on actual votes amounted to “a coup against democracy and the country,” calling on the National Assembly to strengthen electoral laws to safeguard the people’s mandate.
Also speaking, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said electoral reforms in Nigeria had consistently failed because incumbent governments lacked the political will to implement them.
“The problem with elections in Nigeria is that there is no incumbent government that can achieve electoral reform. None. We already tried it and failed,” Amaechi stated.
He blamed entrenched political interests and weak opposition parties for the continued manipulation of the system, warning that voter apathy was making electoral fraud easier to sustain.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, said Nigeria’s elections would remain flawed as long as those managing them were politically connected to those in power.
“Everyone who has something to do with the management of elections is connected to the president,” Amadi said, adding that the lack of neutrality had turned elections into contests of influence rather than the will of the people.