The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged the reported decision of South-East governors to rally support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, arguing that no elected governor has the constitutional mandate to commit the votes of the people.
The rights advocacy group also disclosed plans to petition United States President Donald Trump and international democratic institutions over what it described as an emerging attempt to create the impression that the political direction of the South-East had already been settled ahead of the next general election.
The group’s reaction followed remarks by the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who said the governors of the five states in the region had resolved to work for President Tinubu’s victory in the 2027 presidential election, citing the administration’s infrastructure projects and interventions in the South-East.
But in a statement issued on Thursday, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, described the declaration as inconsistent with the spirit of constitutional democracy, insisting that governors cannot substitute their political preferences for the sovereign will of the electorate.
“The votes of Ndigbo belong to the people, not to governors. Public office holders are elected to serve the people, not to appropriate their democratic choices,” the organisation said.
According to HURIWA, the South-East has historically remained one of Nigeria’s most politically conscious regions, where voters make independent electoral decisions based on conviction rather than directives from political leaders.
The group warned that pronouncements capable of suggesting that an entire geopolitical zone had already been politically delivered to a presidential candidate, months before campaigns officially begin, could erode public confidence in the credibility of the electoral process.
It therefore urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately reassure Nigerians that the 2027 general election would be conducted transparently, fairly and without interference from political office holders.
The association said the electoral umpire must demonstrate, through both its preparations and actions, that no individual or institution could influence the outcome of the elections outside the freely expressed will of the electorate.
HURIWA further announced that it would petition President Donald Trump, relevant international democratic institutions and election observation bodies, urging them to closely monitor political developments ahead of the 2027 polls in the interest of protecting Nigeria’s democracy.
It explained that the proposed petition was intended to draw international attention to developments it believes could affect public confidence in the electoral process and to encourage sustained observation of Nigeria’s democratic transition.
While calling on political leaders to refrain from statements capable of creating the impression that electoral outcomes had been predetermined, the organisation maintained that democracy derives its legitimacy solely from the ballot box and not from political endorsements by elected officials.
“The constitutional right of Nigerians to vote according to their conscience must remain sacrosanct. No governor or political office holder can validly negotiate or mortgage the mandate that belongs exclusively to the electorate,” HURIWA stated.
The rights group urged Nigerians to remain vigilant in defending democratic values and called on all stakeholders to ensure that the 2027 elections reflect the genuine wishes of the people.
Governor Uzodimma had defended the South-East governors’ position by citing what he described as the Tinubu administration’s developmental interventions in the region, including the establishment of the South East Development Commission, ongoing road projects and investments in rail infrastructure, which he said justified the governors’ support for the President’s re-election.