•Ugochinyere
A member of the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has warned that Nigerians will fiercely resist any attempt to manipulate the 2027 general elections, declaring that the country can no longer tolerate rigging or stolen mandates.
Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State, made the remarks during an interaction with supporters and party stakeholders, where he expressed concern over recurring electoral malpractices and their impact on public trust in the democratic process, reports Daily Independent.
He said the conduct of previous elections had convinced many Nigerians that they must remain vigilant and actively involved in protecting their votes, stressing that democratic rights could only be preserved when citizens refused to allow their mandates to be stolen.
“We will rather die than be rigged out in 2027. Nobody should think they can sit somewhere and write results. That era is gone,” Ugochinyere said.
He accused some political actors of plotting to undermine democracy through vote-buying, intimidation and manipulation of election results, warning that such actions could pose a serious threat to national stability.
The lawmaker called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to uphold their constitutional responsibilities by ensuring a free, fair and violence-free electoral process.
He also urged Nigerian youths and civil society organisations to remain vigilant and actively participate in safeguarding the electoral process, stressing that democracy can only thrive when the will of the people is respected.
Ugochinyere said Nigerians were committed to pursuing change through peaceful and lawful means, but cautioned that persistent disregard for the electorate’s will could fuel public anger and resistance.
The remarks come at a time of growing political mobilization and realignments, as parties and aspirants intensify strategies and campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
