Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege has defended his “Rig and Die” declaration ahead of the 2027 elections, calling it a patriotic warning to election riggers.
His office issued the defence on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Strategy and Communications, Godwin Anaughe.
The statement, titled “2027: ‘Rig and Die’: In Defence of Democracy,” responded to backlash from the Delta State Government, some APC stakeholders and Senator Ede Dafinone’s camp.
Anaughe described the reactions, including comments by Commissioner Charles Aniagwu, as “contrived outrage” and “fake tears.”
“‘RIG AND DIE’ is not a threat to voters. Voters don’t rig elections. It is a threat to riggers who falsify election figures and results. Those who cart and run away with electoral materials. It is a patriotic warning to ballot thieves to stay away,” the statement said.
Constitutional Grounds
According to the statement, the declaration is a lawful rejection of electoral robbery. It cited Section 1(2) of the 1999 Constitution, which says no one may govern Nigeria except in line with the Constitution.
“To rig an election is treason. It is a coup against the people. It is political robbery. ‘RIG AND DIE’ simply entails every rigging machinery will be defeated and crushed by popular resistance,” Anaughe said.
The statement said the era of writing results in Government House, fake security personnel, fake INEC officials, vote buying and BVAS bypass must end.
It argued that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Senator Dafinone and the Delta APC cannot win a free and fair election. It alleged that Oborevwori has “wasted over 5 trillion naira with nothing commensurate to show.”
Historical Comparisons
Anaughe cited past examples to justify the language. He said in April 2014, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then APC National Leader, warned of “rig and roast” for riggers in Ekiti and Osun.
He also said in February 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari directed that ballot box snatchers be dealt with ruthlessly.
“If Tinubu’s ‘rig and roast’ was patriotic and Buhari’s shoot-at-sight order was official policy, how does Omo-Agege’s ‘rig and die’ suddenly become anarchy? This is hypocrisy and selective amnesia,” the statement asked.
The statement also recalled the October 12, 2013 Delta Central bye-election. It said Dafinone, then the DPP candidate, cried “There was no voting” and called the poll a sham.
On the Senate mace incident, Anaughe said Omo-Agege was on the floor that day to defend democracy after a Federal High Court judgment nullified his suspension. The court declared the suspension unconstitutional.
“He did not go to steal a mace and did not steal a mace. He went to resume his seat as a duly elected Senator,” he said.
2027 Warning
Anaughe insisted Omo-Agege did not threaten voters, INEC or the police. He said the warning targets the criminal enterprise that intimidates voters, buys votes and writes results.
He said Omo-Agege believes he won the 2023 Delta governorship election on lawful ballots but was rigged out in Delta North.
“Today, Sheriff, wearing APC clothes but PDP at heart, is plotting the same script for 2027 with his 5 trillion naira war chest. That is why Omo-Agege says there will be no court this time. We will defend our votes at the polling units and collation centers,” the statement said.
It called on INEC and security agencies to stay impartial, protect voters and count votes honestly. It concluded that Omo-Agege has no apology for the statement.
Rig and die, hmm, but then again if we check the tables of so many Nigerians in this period we will notice one thing in common, which is lack of food, right now it is not even a question of balanced diet or even to check its sweetness, I can understand his claim from a basis of patriotic tiredness and zeal for change, that is where I support his Rig or Die talks.