A chieftain of the crisis-ridden opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adetokunbo Pearse, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against any attempt to rig the 2027 general elections.

He noted that the international community, especially U.S. President Donald Trump, would not tolerate electoral fraud. 

Mr Pearse, a former member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), said that the world was closely monitoring political developments in Nigeria.

He warned that any manipulation of the electoral process could attract severe international consequences.

He noted that the season of election rigging, especially manipulations of election results, was gradually coming to an end.

He stated that powerful global actors would not ignore any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.

“The whole international world is watching. If you rig election the way you normally rig it before, you may have Trump (U.S. President) coming to get you in your Chamber. You may dissappear over night. Everybody has to be careful. This is not the first time it’s happening,” the PDP chieftain spoke on Arise TV on Sunday. 

Mr Pearse explained that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should now serve as a “deterrent” to electoral misconduct, most especially with its international judicial mechanisms.

“This is not the first time it has happened. The International Criminal Court is there, so be careful what you do with a rigged election in Nigeria,” he added.

The PDP chieftain stressed that the era of unchecked electoral malpractice was over, insisting that global powers now take democracy and human rights violations more seriously.

He further expressed confidence that the 2027 elections would be different from previous ones, insisting that Nigerians would no longer tolerate electoral fraud.

“No, no, no – it will not happen again. 2027 is going to be different. So, everybody should be on the lookout,” Mr Pearse added. 

He urged Mr Tinubu to focus on governance and credible reforms rather than political manoeuvring ahead of 2027, insisting that any attempt to undermine democracy could further isolate Nigeria internationally. 

Mr Pearse also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain neutrality and resist political pressure, noting that the credibility of future elections would determine the country’s stability.