Concerns continue to heighten over the caustic nature of statements and violent disposition of politicians, their supporters and political parties ahead of the 2027 general election. With just about three months to the general election, political players are beginning to heat the polity with fiery rhetoric that signals a tendency to be intolerant of opponents before, during, and after the elections. Over the years, campaign grounds have been known as avenues to throw jibes, diatribes and ballistic missiles in words at opponents, who would typically fire back at the next opportunity. As campaigns kick in, there are already indications that Nigeria may be in for another round of heated campaigns.
On August 30, a commissioner in Borno State, Sainna Buba, threatened political opponents with physical harm and state-backed punishment if they failed to support the All Progressives Congress. The remarks were made at a campaign inauguration event organised by the Tinubu City Boy Movement, a political support organisation campaigning for President Bola Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election bid.
The commissioner quickly made a U-turn and apologised on September 2 after opposition groups and civil society organisations criticised him, saying such aggressive rhetoric from a serving public official threatened public safety and undermined the foundational principles of multi-party democracy. Buba subsequently retracted the remarks and apologised to the public.
Similarly, Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Samuel Shekwolo, in a viral video in late August, told residents to support the ruling APC or leave the area ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He faced public criticism and condemnation. Shekwolo later denied threatening to expel anyone or disenfranchise residents, claiming his words were misconstrued, as he had no legal right to force citizens out.
Osun Senator Francis Fadahunsi took incendiary remarks to another level before the state governorship election in August. The senator representing Osun East, in a viral video, was alleged to have called for the killing of members of the Accord Party, which had Ademola Adeleke as its governorship candidate. Fadahunsi later denied that the comments were intended literally, describing their interpretation as a misrepresentation.
Following public outrage over Fadahunsi’s inflammatory comments, the Nigeria Police Force invited the Osun senator. This came after Fadahunsi’s supporters claimed that their principal was quoted out of context. The police, in a letter dated August 11, 2026, invited the senator to “clarify the circumstances” surrounding the statements made during an APC campaign in Ilesa.
The Force spokesman, Ani Iniedu, described inciting comments, particularly in relation to the electoral process, as a criminal offence, adding that he was part of the team that quizzed the senator. He appealed to members of the public to cooperate with investigators by providing statements and evidence needed to prosecute suspected offenders. The police later confirmed that investigations into the remarks were ongoing.
In Edo State, the chairman of Esan West, Blessing Ebhodaghe, reportedly threatened to deal with drivers who wore the paraphernalia of other parties instead of that of the APC. A viral video circulated in which he said that any hotel where opposition political parties held their meetings would be sealed up. Ebhodaghe reportedly visited several motor parks in Ekpoma and environs and warned drivers not to adorn clothes, fez caps or banners of any other political party except those of the APC, apparently to boost Governor Monday Okpebholo’s target of delivering 2.5 million votes to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
In the video, he said, “I am here to warn all my drivers not to put on any material that does not belong to the party (APC). There will be no friendship on this matter. If I see anybody, I will come here and remove him. The Governor of Edo State has promised the President, Bola Tinubu, 2.5 million votes in the 2027 general election, which the whole world is going to see. By the grace of God, we are totally behind him. We are going to deliver come 2027.
“On no account should I see any driver put on his cap or any material that does not belong to the party,” he said. “If I see anybody putting on another cap, there will be no passengers for his vehicle.”
He vowed to monitor compliance and contact the park leadership if any driver was found wearing materials associated with another political party.
In an interview, Ebhodaghe defended his actions, saying he addressed the chairmen of motor parks in the locality, whom he described as his friends, adding, “I was not threatening the drivers; they are all my friends. We only had a chat on the way forward.”
In the said voice tape, Ebhodaghe warned hotels against allowing opposition political parties to hold their meetings on their premises, threatening to seal up such hotels.
He added, “Now you want to try the government. The land you build your hotel on belongs to the government. This is a threat from the government and from the government. The government will come and prove to you that they own the land.”
Ebhodaghe’s outburst did not go unnoticed, with chieftains of different parties in the state condemning what they described as an attempt to force residents to vote for his party through the use of threats.
The Publicity Secretary of the state Peoples Democratic Party, Bob-Manuel Umoru, said Ebhodaghe’s actions represented a “disturbing attempt to turn local government authority into an instrument of partisan intimidation and political suppression.”
Umoru said that his party took the threat seriously, warning that Esan West Local Government was not “the private political estate of any individual or political party, as the office of a local government chairman is a public trust, and its powers must be exercised in the interest of all citizens, irrespective of their political affiliation.”
He added, “No local government chairman has the constitutional authority to compel citizens to display the symbols of a particular political party or to threaten legitimate businesses because they provide services to members of an opposition party. Such conduct is fundamentally inconsistent with the principles of multiparty democracy.
“The PDP will not sit idly while citizens are allegedly intimidated into political conformity. Transporters, hoteliers, traders, artisans, professionals and other residents of Esan West are free citizens, not political subjects. They have the right to choose their political party, attend political meetings, wear the paraphernalia of their choice and associate with whoever they wish within the law. Political allegiance cannot be imposed by threat, coercion or the abuse of public office.”
Umoru vowed that the state PDP would defend the constitutional rights of its members and support the rights of every citizen to participate freely in the political process. He said that the PDP would continue to use every lawful and democratic means available to resist intimidation, defend political freedom and protect the right of Edo citizens to freely choose their political future.
On his part, the Public Relations Officer of the African Democratic Congress, Chris Ojeikere, said his party would not fold its arms and allow undemocratic elements to threaten voters or cause panic with policy, adding that the ADC was ready to respond in equal measure to any crisis thrown its way.
Ojeikere said, “The ADC is not afraid of crises because it is a transition. After the crisis, another state of being appears. The Osun example is still fresh. The APC in Osun, despite its intimidation before the governorship election, was rejected. That is the same thing that will happen in 2027. The crisis they will cause will lead to the rejection of Tinubu’s government in 2027.
“They can continue, but they should know that people are angry with them over their poor economic policies and failed institutional governance.
They think they can intimidate Nigerians into voting for them by force; it will only result in a transition that will take them out of government.”
He also urged the Edo State Government and the APC to play politics by the rules, stressing that the people had a right to make their political choices without intimidation. He said the people must be allowed to defend their votes and ensure their votes count.
Ojeikere said, “For Edo State, we want them to know that there is still law in the land that protects the fundamental human rights of voters and Nigerians. If anybody infringes on our right, we will take them up legally. And when push comes to shove, we will give them battle for battle. I am not mincing words.
“We are not going to fold our arms and allow some people to think that they will overthrow democracy. We are not going to be silent; we will fight for democracy, defend democracy, and we will ensure democracy is sustained in Edo State.
“We know the local government chairman who made those statements. We didn’t take him seriously. We are waiting until we gather in a procession, and some hoodlums will think they can deny us our fundamental human right; we will let them know that it is man for man, blow for blow, machete for machete and gun for gun.”
However, a political analyst, Peter Osaro, warned that politicians and those in power must conduct themselves in a manner that would not cause chaos with a few months to the election. He noted that they should also uphold the tenets of democracy and protect the rights of voters.
He said intimidating voters might lead to apathy on election day, thereby defeating the purpose for which the election was held. He warned political parties and their officials not to be desperate to a point where they would undermine the democracy they were meant to protect.
He added, “I think inciting statements show desperation. You cannot force Nigerians to vote for certain political parties as that will infringe on their fundamental human right. What the parties should be doing at the moment is to campaign, let the voters know what they will benefit if their parties are voted into power. The local government chairman misfired, and he should be called to order so that such occurrences do not take place again. We don’t need unnecessary crises in the country.”
In dealing with violence and curtailing inciting comments, the Peace Accord was initiated in 2014 by the National Peace Committee headed by Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.). The NPC was set up in response to emerging threats occasioned by the 2015 general election. It comprises eminent elder statesmen who undertake efforts to support free, fair and credible elections, as well as intervene in critical issues of national concern through high-level mediated and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Before the next election, candidates would again sign peace accords, pledging to conduct campaigns and elections peacefully. During the recurring ritual, candidates would beat their chests and make promises to ensure the peaceful conduct of the election. However, continued violence and inflammatory comments betray the value and efficacy of such commitments, as there are no consequences when breached. The unabated issuance of threats by political actors tends to question the worth of such signed peace accords, and there are already pointers that the 2027 electioneering campaigns may be another round of the usual, or be elevated to a higher pedestal.
Punch
