A wave of threats by Nigerian politicians seeking to mobilise votes for President Bola Tinubu's re-election ahead of the 2027 general elections has fueled fear among potential voters. Findings by The Point have revealed that this disturbing development, mostly within the ruling All Progressives Congress, has triggered condemnation from Amnesty International, the National Human Rights Commission, and opposition parties. Stakeholders warn that if the Federal Government fails to act, the worsening threat campaign could degenerate into full-blown attacks and delegitimise the forthcoming elections.
Checks by The Point across some states showed that some voters are already becoming afraid owing to the rise in the rate some notable politicians dish out threats and warnings to those who would not vote APC. No fewer than seven prominent stalwarts of the ruling party have reportedly issued one threat or the other, but none of them have been arrested by the Police or any other law enforcement agency in accordance with the law. The threats have been made through various means, including viral videos and public speeches.
Seven reported threats have been documented since August till October 1, 2026. The first major viral video came ahead of the August 15, 2026 Osun governorship election, where Senator Francis Fadahunsi urged APC supporters in Ilesa to kill members of the Accord Party. Fadahunsi later withdrew the statement and apologised after Governor Ademola Adeleke won his re-election. However, the incident was not pursued further by the authorities.
Other incidents of threat campaigns have been reported in various states, including Kuje, Yobe, Maiduguri, Ebonyi, and Kebbi. In Kuje, the Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory, Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo, told residents to either vote APC or leave the area council. In Yobe, the APC Chairman, Muhammad Gadaka, told women whose husbands stopped them from voting APC to leave their marriages, saying he would marry them. These incidents have been widely condemned by stakeholders.
The most condemned incident occurred in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, where State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, warned residents who would not support Tinubu's re-election to be ready to have their fingers cut off. Buba later claimed he was quoted out of context, but the video had already gone viral and sparked widespread backlash. Similar threats have been reported in Ebonyi and Kebbi states.
The latest incident of threat campaign happened on the recently marked Independence Day, involving Edo APC Chairman, Jarret Tenebe. Tenebe threatened to deploy "power of AK-47" against anyone blocking the target of 2.5 million votes for Tinubu. He linked votes delivered to federal rewards like the creation of more LGAs and states. The Point discovered that all the mentioned incidents were executed in the same pattern and share the same elements: threat of violence or economic exclusion.
Stakeholders have warned that the pattern of threats and inflammatory comments, if unchecked, could undermine the legitimacy of the 2027 general elections and return Nigeria to a pre-2015 era of do-or-die politics. The Electoral Act 2022 criminalises the use of force, violence, or threat to compel support for a party, punishable by fine up to N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both. However, INEC has not issued sanctions, and the Police have not made any arrests despite President Tinubu's recent directive that police must not be seen as an instrument of any political interest.
Key points
- Nigerian politicians' threats to voters may undermine 2027 election legitimacy
- Seven prominent APC stalwarts have reportedly issued threats to voters
- Stakeholders warn that unchecked threats could return Nigeria to a pre-2015 era of do-or-die politics
