2027 elections: Former INEC commissioner warns against ‘Rig and Die’ slogan, says violence undemocratic

Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, has condemned the controversial ‘Rig and Die’ slogan, describing it as undemocratic and incompatible with the principles of a civilised electoral process.

Okoye, who represented the South-East at INEC and previously chaired its Information and Voter Education Committee, warned that no individual has the legal authority to use violence or force against anyone suspected of electoral malpractice.

Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday evening, he said suspected electoral offenders should be reported to security agencies rather than subjected to threats, intimidation or mob attacks.

The former electoral commissioner maintained that the law does not permit individuals to take justice into their own hands, irrespective of their grievances or suspicions about electoral manipulation.

He said, “So I think that in our circumstances, no individual, even under Section 132 of the Electoral Act, is permitted to treat anybody with the use of force or violence.

“If you believe that anybody has committed an offence during an election period or during an election, your responsibility is to report the person to the lawful security agencies and for them to take action, but not to incite people to take the law into their own hands; that is self-help, and self-help is not permitted in a democratic system.”

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The comments come amid growing controversy over the ‘Rig and Die’ slogan in Nigeria’s political environment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The expression has been increasingly used as a warning to politicians, electoral officials and other individuals against manipulating election results or undermining the choices of voters.

However, its increasingly aggressive interpretation has raised concerns about political intimidation, threats of violence and the possibility of electoral-related confrontations.

The slogan attracted renewed national attention in October 2026 following remarks by former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, during a political campaign in Delta State.

Omo-Agege reportedly warned that anyone caught attempting to rig the 2027 elections would face deadly consequences.

He declared: “Anybody who rigs the election on that day, we will kill him! If you don’t value your life, come and rig the election. It is rig and die.”

Former entertainer and social commentator, Charly Boy, had also used the expression in August 2025 while warning politicians against electoral manipulation.

Okoye’s intervention adds to the growing debate over how Nigerians should defend electoral integrity without encouraging violence or undermining the rule of law.

His position is that the protection of credible elections must remain within the boundaries of the law, with suspected electoral offenders investigated and prosecuted by authorised institutions rather than punished by individuals or political supporters.

With the 2027 elections approaching, concerns over electoral credibility, political rhetoric and voter safety are expected to remain central to discussions about Nigeria’s democratic future.