As Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election draws nearer, opposition parties and civil‑society groups say officials of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are issuing threats to voters who do not back President Bola Tinubu and the party. The warnings – ranging from violence to eviction and political punishment – have been reported from Borno State in the north to the Federal Capital Territory, Osun State and the south‑east state of Ebonyi.
In Maiduguri, Borno State’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, told a rally organised by the pro‑Tinubu “City Boy Movement” that residents who refuse to support the president would have “their fingers cut off”. He added that those who “show us a finger” would see it “broken”, and warned that government welfare would be reserved for APC supporters. The video of his remarks went viral and Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the statements as “reckless and unlawful”, calling for an urgent investigation. Buba later claimed he had been quoted out of context.
In the Federal Capital Territory, Kuje Area Council chairman Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo told residents that they must either back the APC or leave the area. “It’s either you’re doing APC or you leave the area council,” he said, adding that he would not tolerate any challenge on election day. The National Human Rights Commission described the comments as “intimidating” and a direct assault on constitutional and democratic principles, urging the police, the Department of State Services and INEC to arrest and prosecute Shekwolo.
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has also been accused of using coercive language against opposition candidates. The civil‑society coalition Ebonyi Political Think‑Tank reported that the governor threatened the opposition’s governorship candidate at a rally and warned police, the DSS and the army that he would be held personally responsible for any harm that followed. In a recent address to newly sworn‑in council chairmen, Nwifuru reiterated that no seat would be surrendered to the opposition and that opposition activity would not be tolerated.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set 16 January 2027 for the presidential and National Assembly elections and 6 February 2027 for governorship and State Assembly polls. Campaigns for the latter have not yet begun, while presidential campaigning started on 19 August. Observers note that the 2023 general election saw at least 39 deaths, including the killing of Labour Party senatorial candidate Oyibo Chukwu, and dozens of violent incidents targeting party supporters and officials. The recurrence of threatening rhetoric this early in the 2027 campaign has prompted calls from Amnesty International, the NHRC and opposition parties for law‑enforcement agencies to intervene and protect the democratic process.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
