Nigeria cannot afford to approach the 2027 general election with politicians treating political opposition as a crime.
Yet, that is the troubling direction suggested by a growing number of reckless statements from public officials and political actors. Instead of persuading voters through ideas, policies and performance, some politicians now appear increasingly comfortable with threats, intimidation and inflammatory rhetoric.
The latest example came from Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, where chairman Samuel Shekwolo reportedly told residents who do not support the All Progressives Congress to leave the area ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a video that circulated on social media, Shekwolo said, “it’s either you are for the APC, or you leave the area council.”
Such a statement is unacceptable from anyone, but it becomes even more disturbing when it comes from a public official. An elected council chairman has no authority to determine which political party residents must support or to suggest that citizens could lose their right to live in a community because of their political preference.
Kuje does not belong to the APC, just as it does not belong to Shekwolo. It belongs to Nigerians who live there, regardless of the party they support.
That distinction should not require any debate in a democracy.
Political office is not a licence to intimidate
Public office comes with responsibility. It does not give anyone the power to intimidate citizens or demand political loyalty from them.
The chairman’s subsequent explanation that his words were taken out of context should not end the matter. Political leaders must understand that their words can influence supporters, particularly during an election season when emotions are already running high.
Nigeria has seen enough examples of how inflammatory political language can create fear and deepen divisions. A threat may begin as a statement at a political gathering, but its consequences can extend far beyond the person who made it.
This is why authorities must take such remarks seriously.
The appropriate response is not partisan defence or political silence. Where a statement potentially violates the law, the relevant authorities should investigate it and determine whether an offence occurred.
That principle must apply regardless of the politician involved or the party to which he belongs.
A worrying pattern ahead of 2027
The Kuje incident cannot be viewed in isolation.
In Osun State, Senator Francis Fadahunsi was recently recorded making threats against members of the Accord Party and their families ahead of the August 15 governorship election. The police subsequently invited him over the remarks, while the party filed a criminal complaint.
In Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo also attracted criticism after telling Peter Obi to inform him before visiting the state or face the consequences of his decision.
There have also been other disturbing examples of politicians using language that threatens opponents, journalists or citizens who disagree with them. Such rhetoric may excite party supporters in the moment, but it weakens the democratic culture that every political party should help protect.
The danger becomes greater when these statements come from members of the ruling party.
The All Progressives Congress controls the Federal Government and several states and local governments. Its officials therefore carry an added responsibility to demonstrate that political power can coexist with tolerance and respect for dissent.
The party should not dismiss inflammatory remarks by its members as ordinary campaign rhetoric. It should make it clear that electoral competition does not permit threats against citizens.
Elections are contests, not wars
One of Nigeria’s biggest political problems is the tendency to treat elections as battles that must produce winners and vanquished enemies.
That mentality is dangerous.
An election is not a war. A political opponent is not an enemy of the state. Supporting another party does not make a citizen disloyal to Nigeria.
Citizens must remain free to support the APC, PDP, ADC, Labour Party or any other political organisation without fearing harassment because of that choice.
The same principle applies to people who choose not to support any political party.
Democracy depends on that freedom.
Nigeria can learn from African countries that have demonstrated that political defeat does not have to result in instability. Botswana’s 2024 election, for instance, showed that a ruling party could accept defeat and facilitate a peaceful transfer of power.
That is the kind of political maturity Nigeria should aspire to.
Political parties must draw the line
The responsibility does not rest with government agencies alone.
Political parties must also discipline members whose public statements threaten democratic values. Silence can easily be interpreted as approval, especially when similar incidents occur repeatedly.
The APC, in particular, should make its position clear. Its members should compete for votes by presenting their achievements, policies and plans for the country rather than threatening citizens who support rival parties.
Opposition parties must also hold themselves to the same standard.
Nigeria does not need politicians who frighten voters into supporting them. It needs leaders who can convince citizens that their policies deserve their votes.
The 2027 election will test the strength of Nigeria’s democracy. It will also test whether political actors have learned from the violence, intimidation and distrust that have marred previous elections.
The country cannot afford another cycle in which politicians make inflammatory statements, their supporters interpret them as instructions, and authorities only react after violence occurs.
Prevention must begin with accountability.
A politician who threatens citizens should not be shielded simply because he belongs to a powerful party. If his words cross the line established by law, the appropriate authorities must investigate and prosecute where the evidence supports it.
Nigerians must defend their democratic rights
Ultimately, political power belongs to the people.
Citizens choose their leaders through the ballot, and no council chairman, governor, minister, senator or party leader has the right to take that choice away from them.
Residents of Kuje should not have to declare their political allegiance before they can live peacefully in their community. Nigerians should not have to hide their political opinions to avoid threats from people in public office.
The secrecy of the ballot also gives voters an important protection. A citizen can enter the polling booth, make a personal choice and leave without revealing that choice to anyone.
That freedom must remain inviolable.
As 2027 approaches, Nigerian politicians should remember that their first duty is to the Constitution and the people they serve, not to the interests of their political parties.
Political parties should seek votes. They should not demand allegiance.
They should persuade voters, not intimidate them.
Nigeria has endured too much political violence to treat threats against citizens as harmless campaign banter. If the country is serious about building a stable democracy, it must reject political intimidation before it becomes normal.
The message should be clear: no politician owns Nigeria, no party owns a community, and no citizen owes a politician his political loyalty.
