Former Bayelsa governor, Seriake Dickson, alongside ex-Rivers State governornot, Rotimi Amaechi, have described politicians rigging elections as worst coup ploters, warning that the country’s democracy is facing grave danger from electoral fraud, voter apathy, and political manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dickson and Amaechi spoke at the fifth anniversary lecture of First Daily Newspaper, which held on Monday in Abuja.
The event, attended by politicians, diplomats, and media executives, was themed: “2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?”
Dickson, who was the chairman of the occasion, said election rigging is an affront on the sovereignty of Nigerians, 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, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, highlighted that 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.
