These individuals are not just 600 private citizens expressing their political preferences; they belong to an institution that has frequently provided electoral officials, including returning officers
By Moses Okorie
The Peter Obi Media Office has raised concerns over reports that about 600 university academics have endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the media office described the reported endorsement as troubling, alleging that it could represent an early attempt to establish and legitimise a network of partisan actors ahead of the elections.
The statement, signed by Idris Zekeri Jnr., spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Office, argued that the issue goes beyond the individual political preferences of the academics because university lecturers have historically been involved in the conduct of elections, including serving as returning and collation officers.
The office questioned whether the reported endorsement could create a potential conflict of interest if any of the academics are subsequently engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to perform sensitive electoral duties.
“These individuals are not just 600 private citizens expressing their political preferences; they belong to an institution that has frequently provided electoral officials, including returning officers,” the statement said.
The media office further alleged that electoral manipulation, where it occurs, does not necessarily begin on election day but could involve activities carried out months or years before voting.
It therefore urged Nigerians to remain vigilant ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that the involvement of openly partisan individuals in sensitive electoral assignments could undermine public confidence in the process.
The Peter Obi Media Office called on INEC to release the names of all the academics reportedly involved in the endorsement and any other political endorsements, and to bar them from serving as returning officers, collation officers or other electoral staff during the 2027 general elections.
It also urged the electoral commission to publish the complete list of prospective collation and returning officers well ahead of future elections.
According to the office, such disclosure would enable civil society organisations, political parties and members of the public to scrutinise the political neutrality of prospective electoral officials.
The group also called on university governing councils and academic bodies across the country to establish stricter conflict-of-interest rules to prevent academic staff from using their professional positions to facilitate partisan political mobilisation.
The Peter Obi Media Office maintained that Nigerians must be allowed to freely choose their leaders and that election outcomes should be determined solely by votes cast by citizens.
“Nigerians are watching. The machinery for rigging must not be allowed to take root before the election even begins,” the statement said.