A Nigerian federal lawmaker has made a direct appeal to the United States government, calling for intervention against what he claims are elaborate plans to undermine the country's next general elections.
Defection and Declaration
Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, who represents the Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, made the striking remarks on Wednesday, January 9, 2026. He spoke while addressing supporters at an event to mark his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action Peoples Party (APP).
During his speech, Ugochinyere did not limit his comments to domestic issues. He publicly endorsed the hard-line position of Washington against Venezuela's former president, Nicolás Maduro, whom he described as an "illegitimate" leader. He praised decisive international action against figures he accused of being hostile to democratic norms.
Allegations of Electoral Sabotage in Imo
The lawmaker then turned his focus to Nigeria's political future. He alleged that Imo State has become the epicenter of sophisticated schemes aimed at rigging the 2027 general elections. He issued a stark warning that Nigeria's democracy faces a serious threat if these plans are not exposed and stopped.
Ugochinyere accused unnamed political actors of plotting a multi-pronged attack on the electoral process. The alleged plans include:
- Manipulating the official voters' register.
- Finding ways to bypass the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
- Uploading fabricated results directly to the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) Result Viewing portal (IReV).
He emphasized that the BVAS technology, designed for biometric verification and electronic transmission of results, is a critical safeguard for transparency. Any attempt to sidestep this technology would fatally damage the credibility of our elections, he argued, stating that weak enforcement could render even the best technology useless against determined political interests.
A Direct Appeal to the United States
In an unusual move, Ugochinyere made a direct appeal to United States President Donald Trump and American authorities. He urged them to deploy US agencies to closely monitor electoral preparations in Imo State ahead of the 2027 polls.
His call for action took a provocative turn. "This time around, we are not calling for a visa ban, grant them visas to travel abroad, and capture them there so they can spend the remainder of their lives in prison," he stated, drawing loud reactions from the crowd.
The lawmaker framed Nigeria's electoral integrity as a matter of regional and global importance. He stressed that as Africa's most populous nation and largest economy, a flawed election in Nigeria could deepen instability, discourage investment, and worsen insecurity, with consequences spilling over its borders.
He further warned that democratic failure could trigger increased migration driven by insecurity, unemployment, and political frustration, placing additional strain on neighboring countries and European states.
"As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, domestic actors from civil society, political parties and international observers should focus on ensuring electoral credibility," Ugochinyere concluded. He listed strengthening BVAS deployment, enhancing INEC's operational capacity, and fostering independent observation as necessary steps to safeguard democracy.
These comments emerge amid renewed national debate over electoral reforms and increasing international scrutiny of Nigeria's democratic processes, as political realignments begin ahead of the next election cycle.
