PDP chieftain Pearse warns Tinubu, INEC chair: 'If they rig, they may die in same cell'
PDP chieftain and former Chicago State University lecturer Adetokunbo Pearse warned President Bola Tinubu and INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan against rigging the 2027 general election during a Sunday interview on News Central Television. "If they rig, they may die in same cell," Pearse declared, adding that Nigerians are now more aware and determined to protect their votes than in previous cycles.
Pearse said the 2027 election will differ from past contests because citizens and the international community are watching closely. He insisted Amupitan has a duty to conduct a free, fair election and should not allow himself to be used to undermine democracy, while urging Tinubu to respect the people's will.
The warning reflects escalating opposition rhetoric ahead of the 2027 polls. Pearse's Chicago State background resurfaces past controversies about Tinubu's academic records, while Amupitan's role as INEC chair places him at the center of credibility questions. Both men have not publicly responded to the specific "die in same cell" remark.
With opposition figures already framing the next election in existential terms, the intelligence question becomes: what concrete institutional safeguards—beyond verbal assurances—would convince you the 2027 process is genuinely credible?