Professor of Political Economy Pat Utomi has warned that attempts to manipulate the outcome of Nigeria’s 2027 general election could trigger severe unrest, including a possible civil war.

Utomi raised the concern after an informal town hall discussion in Manchester, United Kingdom, where participants reportedly expressed anxiety over the credibility of the forthcoming election.

In a post on X, the political economist said he attended a lunch to which Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), was invited. The gathering, he said, turned into a discussion about Nigeria’s political challenges and the 2027 elections.

According to Utomi, many of the questions raised by participants reflected concern over what they perceived as the confidence of some public officials that the election outcome could be manipulated or was already predetermined.

He said participants also wanted to know what they could do to prevent electoral malpractice and protect the integrity of the voting process.

“The determination to do whatever will prevent election malpractice suggests we may see a civil war if power tries to muscle the will of the people this time,” Utomi said.

The warning comes amid growing political activity ahead of the 2027 general election, with electoral credibility and the protection of voters’ choices expected to remain major issues in the political debate.

Utomi has publicly supported Obi’s ambition to become president in 2027. He has also stated that his support is specifically for Obi’s presidential bid and that he would withdraw it if Obi agreed to serve as another candidate’s running mate. <Cite refs={[“turn801145news1″,”turn801145news3”]}/>

Utomi’s warning was framed as a caution about the potential consequences of electoral manipulation. It does not establish that the 2027 election has been rigged or that any public official has confirmed plans to manipulate the results.