The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that the slogan “Rig and Die” poses a threat to the safety of electoral officials, voters, party agents and observers ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the warning on Monday, November 7, 2026, at a media forum in Enugu.
Haruna, who was represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, Chukwuemeka J. Chukwu, spoke at the forum organised for members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigerian Institute of Social Media Analysts, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria and media executives.
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The forum was themed “Ethical and Professional Standards in Election Reporting Ahead of the 2027 General Election.”
He said that regardless of the intention behind the slogan, linking electoral offences to death was dangerous and could expose ordinary Nigerians working at polling units to violence.
He explained that presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, collation officers and other ad hoc electoral staff were among those most vulnerable to attacks.
According to him, delays in announcing results, technical challenges or rumours could easily be mistaken for electoral malpractice by an angry crowd, with potentially serious consequences.
Haruna stressed that electoral offences such as rigging should be addressed through the law, noting that the Electoral Act 2026 provides penalties for such offences.
He urged Nigerians to use lawful channels, including reporting complaints to INEC, security agencies and the courts, rather than resorting to violence.
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He also appealed to political leaders to discourage the use of the slogan and urged media organisations not to amplify it as a headline or hashtag.
The commissioner called on journalists to verify information before publication, ensure fair coverage of political parties and candidates, and clearly distinguish official election results from projections and unofficial tallies.
He said election results could only be formally declared by INEC through its Returning Officers.
Haruna also urged the media to promote voter education, particularly on Permanent Voter Card collection and voter turnout, noting that only 26.72 per cent of registered voters participated in the 2023 presidential election.
He cited vote buying during the Ekiti governorship election in June and the circulation of false claims and AI-generated content during the Osun election in August as challenges requiring responsible reporting.
He reaffirmed that INEC remained committed to holding accountable any staff or ad hoc official found compromising the electoral process.
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The commissioner added that the Commission was working to ensure that electoral officials and materials arrived at polling units by about 7:30 a.m. on election day to reduce delays and suspicion.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, Chukwuemeka J. Chukwu, urged journalists to uphold professionalism, accuracy, fairness and objectivity in election reporting.
The Chairman of the NUJ in Enugu State, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, commended INEC for organising the forum and called for sustained training of journalists.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, represented by the Deputy Director of Information and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, said the forum was organised to strengthen collaboration between INEC and the media ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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