Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, has urged United States President Donald Trump to link America’s immigration policy and diplomatic relations with Nigeria to credible elections ahead of the country’s 2027 general elections.
In an open letter dated November 13, 2026, addressed to Trump at the White House, the former electoral commissioner proposed a policy he described as the “No Mandate Fraud” Doctrine, urging the US administration to combine preventive diplomacy, independent election monitoring and targeted sanctions against individuals involved in electoral violations.
He maintained that border enforcement alone could not address the migration challenge without tackling its underlying causes in countries of origin.
“Nigerians are not leaving Nigeria because they do not love their country. They are leaving because of decades of persistent electoral malpractice, corruption, insecurity and weak public accountability that have undermined Nigerians’ confidence in government,” he wrote.
As part of his recommendations, Igini urged Trump to dispatch a high-level US delegation to engage President Bola Tinubu, presidential and governorship candidates, INEC, political parties and other relevant institutions ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the delegation should communicate Washington’s position that credible elections, peaceful political competition and respect for constitutional rights were central to US interests in Nigeria.
The former commissioner also proposed visa restrictions and, where legally justified, targeted financial sanctions and asset freezes against electoral officials found through credible evidence to have manipulated results, falsified electoral records or committed other serious offences.
He specifically identified INEC’s chairman, national commissioners, resident electoral commissioners and ad hoc election personnel drawn from federal agencies and universities as officials who should be held accountable for proven misconduct.
On the judiciary, Igini said judicial independence must not become a shield for corruption or the deliberate subversion of electoral justice.
He urged the US administration to consider sanctions against judicial officers whose misconduct in electoral matters was established through credible evidence and met applicable legal requirements.
He also called for accountability for security personnel whose actions or authorisation facilitated voter intimidation, electoral violence, suppression of opposition parties or manipulation of election outcomes.
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Igini listed the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Armed Forces, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security institutions as agencies expected to protect citizens and enforce the law impartially during the electoral process.
He further recommended that the US support credible domestic and international election observers to monitor the process before, during and after the 2027 elections.
According to him, monitoring should focus on voter intimidation, the neutrality of security personnel, publication of polling-unit results, transparent collation and the resolution of electoral disputes.
Explaining how the proposal aligns with Trump’s America-First policy, Igini identified reduced migration pressure, protection of US resources, improved security cooperation and stronger economic relations as potential benefits.
He argued that credible elections could produce accountable leaders capable of improving Nigeria’s economy, creating opportunities at home and encouraging Nigerians in the diaspora to return.
He also said a stable and democratically accountable Nigeria would be a stronger partner for the US in tackling terrorism, organised crime, regional insecurity and adversarial influence in Africa.
On economic cooperation, Igini highlighted opportunities for stronger US-Nigeria partnerships in the energy sector, particularly electricity development, through technology transfer and investment by American companies.
Warning that Washington should not wait until an electoral crisis erupts before taking action, he said a clear diplomatic position ahead of the polls could help deter violations.
“The time to act is before the election, not after a crisis has occurred,” he said.
He urged the US to make clear that it would not conduct business as usual with any government produced through electoral fraud, stressing that any sanctions must be lawful and supported by credible evidence.
Igini maintained that independent monitoring and evidence-based consequences for electoral malpractice would strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
