Bumpy Road to 2027: Politicians plot to rig, INEC ‘infiltrated’, Tinubu shops for Yakubu’s successor

 The 2027 general elections face mounting concerns over integrity as credible sources within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warn of widespread infiltration and manipulation. According to insiders, politicians are allegedly plotting to compromise the process through the printing of dual original result sheets, discrepancies between physical results and uploads on the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), and manipulation of the ongoing voter registration exercise.

Reports suggest that identical EC8 forms are being produced—one for public display and another for predetermined vote allocation. Civil society observers also documented irregularities in recent off-cycle elections, including pre-uploaded results, inflated voter figures, and unexplained delays in IReV transmission.

Concerns extend to voter registration, where new polling units with unusually low populations are being created, allegedly to favor partisan supporters. Meanwhile, loopholes in re-registration, transfer, and PVC replacement processes are contributing to registration inflation.

INEC recently confirmed uncovering 27,817 multiple registrations in Anambra State despite adding over 146,000 new voters, reflecting systemic weaknesses. Analysts warn that without urgent intervention from the National Council of State, civil society, and international observers, the 2027 polls risk becoming the most compromised in Nigeria’s electoral history.