By Clement Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Professor of Political economist and former presidential candidate, Pat Utomi, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allegedly manipulating the voters’ register, warning that the development could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and trigger widespread unrest.
Utomi, in a post on his official X handle on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, questioned what he described as the commission’s inconsistent attitude towards the application of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.
He alleged that while INEC appeared reluctant to embrace technology for uploading election results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV), it was relying on technology in ways he claimed could compromise the integrity of the voters’ register.
Expressing concern over growing public anger, the former presidential candidate said Nigerians were increasingly suspicious of the commission’s handling of the electoral process.
He claimed that during his travels, particularly at airports, members of the public had approached him to express concerns that the alleged irregularities in the voters’ register amounted to what he described as “advance rigging”.
Utomi further warned that some Nigerians were threatening to take the law into their own hands, raising concerns about the possibility of a breakdown of law and order if the situation was not urgently addressed.
To prevent a potential crisis, he called on political parties across the country to close ranks and demand a comprehensive review and transparent display of the voters’ register to ensure its credibility ahead of the elections.
He also appealed to the international community, particularly organisations and countries supporting Nigeria’s electoral process, to intervene by drawing INEC’s attention to what he described as the grave consequences of failing to address the concerns.
In a particularly strong warning, Utomi likened the alleged electoral infractions to the moral equivalent of genocide and called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to be prepared to prosecute INEC officials, from clerical officers to the commission’s chairman, should they be found culpable.
Referencing a widely attributed remark by former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin that those who count votes determine election outcomes, Utomi warned that deliberate miscounting or manipulation of electoral statistics could provoke public resistance.
He cautioned that electoral malpractice, particularly when it erodes public trust, could fuel popular anger and potentially trigger revolutionary reactions.
Precise Post recalls that Utomi’s intervention comes amid heightened concerns over the credibility, transparency and preparedness of Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
