A Lagos State chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former member of the party’s 2023 National Presidential Campaign Council, Adetokunbo Pearse, has renewed criticism of the conduct of the 2023 general elections in Rivers State, alleging that the process was manipulated in favour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Post, Pearse accused political actors of influencing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to skew the presidential election results in Rivers State to secure victory for Tinubu.

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According to him, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, played a central role in helping Tinubu win the state during the 2023 polls, despite Wike being a prominent member of the PDP at the time.

Pearse claimed that the alleged manipulation undermined the credibility of the electoral process and disenfranchised voters who expressed a different political preference.

He warned that the PDP would strongly resist any attempt to repeat such actions ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that the party would mobilise its members and supporters to protect votes and ensure transparency.

“The PDP will not allow what happened in Rivers State in 2023 to happen again in 2027,” Pearse said, adding that electoral institutions must remain neutral and independent.

As of the time of filing this report, INEC and the office of the FCT Minister have not responded to the allegations. Both parties have, in the past, consistently denied claims of election rigging and maintained that the 2023 polls reflected the will of the electorate.

The comments add to ongoing political debates over the integrity of the 2023 elections and the build-up to the 2027 polls.