Tuesday, November 10, 2026 - Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has warned individuals planning to rig elections to be mindful of the consequences, insisting that Nigerians have the right to defend their votes and electoral rights.
Effiong said those who engage in thuggery or attempt to
disrupt the electoral process should be prepared to face the consequences of
their actions.
"Those planning to rig should be mindful of what may
befall them.
"Nigerians have the right to defend their votes and
electoral rights," he said.
The lawyer made the remarks in a post on X on Monday while
reacting to controversies surrounding the expression, “rig and die.”
He clarified that the expression did not mean asking people
to vote for a particular candidate or die, but was a warning against electoral
manipulation and violence.
Effiong also questioned the commitment of the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC, to addressing electoral violence, accusing
the commission of failing to sanction political parties, institutions or
individuals involved in pre-election violence.
He wondered why INEC would threaten sanctions against those
who engage in violence during elections when, according to him, the commission
had not demonstrated similar commitment to tackling violence before elections.
The lawyer further questioned the commission's response to
political violence during the 2023 general elections, asking how many
individuals or political parties had been sanctioned over such incidents.
He cited the disruption of political rallies and the
reported violent attack on activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore, as examples
of incidents he claimed had not attracted adequate action from the electoral
umpire.
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