The member representing Ideato North and South federal constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has declared support for United States President Donald Trump’s capture of Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro, urging similar action against those allegedly plotting to undermine Nigeria’s democracy through election manipulation in Imo State.
Ugochinyere made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing a massive crowd of supporters during his formal defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action Peoples Party (APP).
He praised Trump’s actions, describing Maduro as an “illegitimate leader,” and called for what he termed decisive engagement against figures subverting democratic systems anywhere.
“This time around, we are not calling for a visa ban. Grant them visas to travel abroad — and capture them there so they can spend the remainder of their lives in prison,” Ugochinyere declared to cheering supporters.
The outspoken lawmaker alleged that sophisticated plans were underway in Imo State to rig the 2027 general election, including the padding of voter registers, bypassing of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and uploading of falsified results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
He warned that such “electoral iniquities” designed in Imo could erode the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy if left unchecked.
BVAS, an electronic biometric device being deployed by INEC, authenticates voters using fingerprint and facial recognition and transmits polling unit results to the IReV in real time. The system was introduced to enhance transparency and reduce electoral fraud.
Ugochinyere said efforts to bypass BVAS or manipulate result uploads represented “a direct assault on the legitimacy of Nigeria’s democracy.”
“Bypassing BVAS accreditation and similar procedural lapses degrade the integrity of elections, erode public trust and destroy political legitimacy,” he said. “Without robust implementation and external oversight, technological safeguards may not prevent entrenched networks from influencing outcomes.”
The lawmaker called on Trump and the US authorities to “beam their searchlight” on electoral operations in Nigeria’s Imo State, saying global vigilance was necessary to prevent manipulation ahead of 2027.
He linked the credibility of Nigeria’s elections to regional and global stability, warning that a breakdown in democratic governance could deepen poverty, insecurity, and migration pressures across West and Central Africa.
According to him, a flawed electoral process could trigger political instability, discourage investment, and drive large-scale emigration, trends that would “strain host communities, disrupt labour markets and overwhelm social services abroad.”
Ugochinyere emphasised that credible, transparent and inclusive elections were not only vital for Nigeria’s internal stability but also a strategic priority for its partners across Africa and beyond.
“As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, domestic actors from civil society, political parties, and international observers must focus on ensuring electoral credibility,” he said. “Strengthening BVAS deployment, enhancing INEC’s operational capacity, and fostering independent election observation are essential to safeguarding our democracy.”
