CSOs, Activists Fault Omo-Agege On Death Threat Over Poll Rigging

Some Activists and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Women’s Inclusion, Empowerment and Leadership Development Initiative (WIELD-I) have condemned a reported death threat attributed to former deputy senate president and Delta Central senatorial candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, over the 2027 general elections.

The Senator, who is seeking to represent Delta Central Senatorial District under the NDC, made the remarks at a political event in his constituency ON Friday.

“I want to make the news again. Anybody who rigs the election on that day, we will kill him! If you don’t value your life, come and rig the election,” he vowed.

The groups have expressed concern over the reported remarks alongside the suggestion that electoral disputes should no longer be taken to court, warning that such rhetoric could heighten political tension, undermine democratic institutions and expose citizens to violence.

In an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend, CISLAC executive director and head of Transparency International Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, described the reported remarks as dangerous and incompatible with democratic leadership.

Rafsanjani said electoral fraud was a criminal offence that must be addressed through lawful processes rather than threats of extrajudicial punishment.

“No politician has the authority to determine who lives or dies,” he said, warning that inflammatory political statements could embolden violent actors at a time when Nigeria was grappling with insecurity, electoral distrust and persistent political thuggery.

He noted that the reported remarks were particularly concerning given Omo-Agege’s former position as Deputy Senate President, stressing that political leaders had a responsibility to respect constitutional institutions and promote peaceful democratic participation.

According to CISLAC, Nigerians’ growing frustration with electoral manipulation, compromised institutions and prolonged judicial processes should lead to urgent reforms rather than calls for mob justice.

The organisation maintained that electoral credibility could not be restored by abandoning the rule of law, insisting that electoral offenders must be investigated, prosecuted and sanctioned through transparent and impartial processes.

CISLAC called on the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the reported remarks and determine whether they violated any laws.

It also urged INEC to enforce applicable electoral regulations, while calling on political parties to demonstrate zero tolerance for inflammatory statements and electoral intimidation.

The organisation further urged security agencies to act impartially and ensure that political influence did not obstruct accountability.

Similarly, WIELD-I expressed concern over the reported statement attributed to Omo-Agege, quoted as saying, “Rig Election, You Die, It Is No Longer Go to Court.”

In a statement signed by its founder and executive director, Amarachi Evangel Okeke, the organisation said electoral integrity must be protected and attempts to manipulate the will of voters firmly resisted, but stressed that threats of death and violence were not acceptable means of defending democracy.

It maintained that electoral accountability must be pursued through lawful, peaceful and credible processes, adding that no political ambition was worth the loss of human life.

WIELD-I warned that threatening political rhetoric could create an atmosphere of fear among citizens, electoral officials, observers and political opponents, potentially discouraging them from exercising their democratic rights.

The organisation expressed particular concern about the implications for women and other groups already facing barriers to political participation.

It said the association of politics with threats and violence could discourage qualified women from contesting elections, restrict citizens’ participation and further weaken democratic inclusion.

WIELD-I urged political leaders and candidates across party lines to exercise restraint, demonstrate responsibility and communicate their positions without threats or incitement.

It also called on relevant authorities to assess the reported statement in accordance with the law and take appropriate action where necessary.

The organisation emphasised that credible elections required more than preventing electoral fraud, noting that disputes must be resolved through lawful procedures, citizens must be able to participate without fear, and every eligible voter’s choice must be respected.

Both organisations stressed that the 2027 general elections must be characterised by electoral integrity, institutional accountability and respect for the rule of law.

They urged political leaders seeking public office to uphold the Constitution, protect citizens and promote peaceful participation in the democratic process.

“Democracy must be defended through the ballot, not the bullet,” CISLAC maintained.

The threat by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege that election riggers ahead of the 2027 general elections could face deadly consequences has led to disagreements among stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Comrade Victor Ojei, AKA Wong Box, Lead Activist for the Young Nigerian Rights Organization, (YNRO), also, Delta North Senatorial Candidate under Action Peoples Party, (APP) said the statement is not a sign of courage but a dangerous reflection of how desperate Nigerian politicians have become.

He said Omo-Agege cannot spend years benefiting from a corrupt political system, remain silent when it favours you, and suddenly pretend to be a saint when it no longer serves your ambition.

“His political history, from the PDP to the APC and now the NDC, raises serious questions about consistency and political convenience.

Democracy is not a do-or-die affair, and no election is worth a human life. Those who helped weaken public confidence in our electoral system cannot suddenly become champions of electoral justice simply because the system has turned against them.

“The same political establishment has contributed to voter apathy, leaving competent citizens discouraged and allowing mediocrity to thrive. The real tragedy is that these politicians are not fighting for the common man; too often, they are fighting for their own survival and relevance. Delta state does not need recycled politicians with recycled promises. It needs credible, competent and selfless leaders.

According to him, “as we approach 2027, Deltans must wake up! Do not vote blindly because of party affiliation, personality cults or the Peter Obi wave. Vote for character, competence, credibility and proven capacity. A party is not a certificate of good leadership, and an old political name is not proof of public service.

“Shame on every politician who helped corrupt our democracy but now cries foul when the same system refuses to serve their ambition. Our votes must count, but our lives must never become the price of political ambition.

Asking, “are Nigerian youths ready to break free from the political stockholm syndrome that makes people defend the very establishment responsible for their suffering? Until we reject political manipulation and demand accountability, the same old players will keep recycling themselves while the masses remain trapped in poverty.

He stated that 2027 must be about the people, not the politicians, enough of political slavery, enough of recycled failures, saying the future belongs to those who dare to demand better” Ojei stated.

But Sunny Areh, Media Adviser to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege said Omo-Agege’s warning to election riggers was a deterrent against electoral fraud.

Areh stated that Senator Omo-Agege’s position aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to security agencies to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2027.

Tinubu directed security agencies to do their work. Omo-Agege is only enforcing that directive at the grassroots.

Areh said the senator spoke the minds of average Nigerian voters frustrated by 24 years of electoral manipulation, saying election rigging amounts to armed robbery against the people, riggers steal not just votes but the future of citizens.

“If a man enters your house with a gun to steal your TV, we call him an armed robber. If a man enters your polling unit with a gun to steal your future and your children’s future, we call him a stakeholder? No. Riggers don’t just rig figures, they rig hospitals, roads and schools.

“The disgraceful advice to aggrieved politicians to “go to court” has emboldened riggers, who use proceeds of rigged mandates to hire lawyers to frustrate justice on technical grounds, such as failure to file Certified True Copies”.

“If you don’t plan to rig, why are you offended by ‘rig and die’? If you don’t plan to steal, why are you afraid of ‘aura for aura”

According to him, Senator Omo-Agege’s warning is likened to “Beware of Dogs” sign on a gate, meant to deter thieves and not to threaten innocent passersby. The will of Delta Central voters will prevail in 2027 and every vote will count.