Peter Obi’s media office has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to prove, before a single vote is cast, that the 2027 election is not being rigged in advance.
In a statement issued and signed by Indris Zekeri Jnr on Thursday, the office said it had received information that polling and collation locations could be shifted and voter records altered, with the South-East of particular concern. It said individuals linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and officials of INEC might be involved. It named no one and offered no evidence for the claim.
Among the fears raised was the possible insertion of fictitious names into the voter register, which, the office said, could allow votes to be recorded for people who never turned up at a polling unit. Such moves, it warned, would damage public confidence before voting even begins.
The office set out a list of demands. It wants INEC to say whether it has approved any relocation of polling or collation centres and to publish details of any changes for public scrutiny. It also wants the commission to safeguard the voter register and order an independent review of recent uploads and amendments.
It further asked the Presidency to publicly distance itself from any attempt to manipulate the process and to assure Nigerians that government agencies are not being used for that purpose.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and the statement carried no response from INEC, the Presidency or the APC.
The media office said any attempt to fabricate votes, change polling locations or interfere with collation would be resisted through lawful and democratic means. It also called for public and international attention on preparations for the election.
INEC’s credibility, the statement argued, would be on the line if the claims proved true. It said early disclosure of changes to polling locations and voter records could help ease public concern, and that the 2027 election should be decided by voters, not by actions taken before polling day.
Nigerians, it concluded, must be able to trust that votes cast at polling units will be recorded and counted fairly.