The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) expresses profound concern over the recent public disclosure by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, regarding the alleged strategy adopted by the G5 governors during the 2023 presidential election to weaken the electoral prospects of the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking on a televised programme on 21 September 2026, Mr. Wike claimed that the G5 governors deliberately allowed Labour Party candidate Peter Obi to win in parts of the South-south because they viewed Atiku and the PDP as a greater political threat in the region. He specifically cited Edo and Cross River States, while asserting that the group intentionally prevented Obi from winning Rivers State due to perceived political implications.

These revelations — if accurate — strike at the core of Nigeria’s democratic integrity. They raise troubling questions about the sanctity of the ballot, the neutrality of state actors, and the credibility of the 2023 presidential election, an election already burdened by widespread public skepticism and legal contestation.

A Disturbing Admission With Serious Implications

CHRICED is alarmed that a serving minister and former governor would openly boast about influencing electoral outcomes across multiple states. Such claims, whether made in jest or political bravado, cannot be dismissed lightly. They suggest:

• Possible abuse of state power during the electoral process
• Manipulation of voter choices through coordinated political interference
• Subversion of democratic norms by individuals entrusted with public authority
• Potential collusion to tilt electoral outcomes for partisan advantage

If state officials can “allow” or “prevent” candidates from winning in their states, then the fundamental principle that sovereignty belongs to the people is gravely undermined.

Nigeria cannot afford to normalize political actors publicly admitting to electoral manipulation — subtle or overt.

Electoral Integrity Is Not a Political Toy

Elections are not chessboards for powerful individuals to manipulate at will. They are solemn civic exercises through which citizens express their democratic will. Any suggestion that governors or political blocs can predetermine outcomes in their states is a direct assault on:

• the independence of the electoral process,
• the credibility of democratic institutions, and
• the rights of voters to make free and unmanipulated choices.

CHRICED therefore insists that Mr. Wike’s comments cannot be swept aside as political banter. They demand urgent clarification from:

• the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),
• the National Assembly,
• the Attorney General of the Federation, and
• relevant security and oversight institutions.

The Nigerian people deserve to know whether the 2023 presidential election was influenced by coordinated political interference from powerful state actors.

A Dangerous Precedent for Future Elections

If left unaddressed, Wike’s claims set a dangerous precedent. They embolden political actors to believe they can:

• manipulate electoral outcomes,
• weaponize state machinery,
• suppress or promote candidates at will, and
• treat elections as private negotiations rather than public mandates.

This is unacceptable in a democracy struggling to rebuild public trust after years of electoral controversies.

CHRICED’s Demands

CHRICED calls for:

1. Immediate clarification from Mr. Wike regarding the nature, extent, and mechanisms of the alleged G5 strategy.
2. A clear explanation from Mr. Wike and the former G5 governors on what was meant by “allowing” Obi to win in some states and “preventing” him from winning Rivers State.
3. A formal inquiry by INEC and the National Assembly into whether any actions by state officials compromised the integrity of the 2023 presidential election.
4. DSS and relevant security agencies to hold Mr. Wike accountable for any actions that may have violated electoral laws.
5. Public disclosure of any communications, directives, or actions taken by state actors that may have influenced electoral outcomes.
6. Strengthening of electoral safeguards to prevent governors or political blocs from exerting undue influence over 2027 elections.
7. Protection of voter sovereignty to ensure that no political actor can predetermine electoral outcomes.
8. INEC to reassure Nigerians about safeguards protecting the independence of election officials and preventing political interference in voting, counting, collation, transmission, and declaration of results.
9. Political parties and public officials to utilize mechanisms for reporting election infractions to international bodies where appropriate.
10. INEC, CSOs, and the media to intensify voter education ahead of 2027, particularly on how votes are counted, collated, and declared.

2027 Must Restore Public Confidence

Nigeria cannot deepen democracy where citizens perceive elections as contests whose outcomes can be negotiated or strategically manipulated by powerful political actors.

The 2027 elections must rebuild confidence through transparent procedures, verifiable results, accountable political actors, and an independent electoral process. Political parties may compete for power, but the people’s votes must remain the property of the people.

CHRICED urges all political actors, INEC, security agencies, civil society, and the media to treat this disclosure not as another political controversy, but as an opportunity to confront deeper questions surrounding electoral integrity and public trust.

Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford another election in which citizens doubt whether their votes truly determine the outcome.

Democracy Must Not Be Reduced to Political Bargaining

Nigeria’s democracy is fragile. It cannot survive if powerful individuals openly boast about manipulating electoral outcomes. The ballot belongs to the people — not to governors, ministers, or political alliances.

Failure to address these revelations will further erode public confidence in elections and deepen the crisis of legitimacy that continues to haunt Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

The idea of “grab it, snatch it, and run away with it” must never be allowed to prevail in 2027.

The Nigerian people deserve answers. They deserve transparency. They deserve elections that reflect their will — not the calculations of political powerbrokers.

Signed:

Comrade Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi

Executive Director

Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED)