Fresh concerns have emerged over Nigeria’s political stability ahead of the 2027 general elections, as opposition parties and political stakeholders raise the alarm over a series of violent attacks on opposition leaders, party offices and political gatherings across the country.

Reports of violent incidents involving opposition leaders and their supporters have surfaced in several states in recent weeks, including Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Kogi, Edo and Rivers.

The African Democratic Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria People’s Party and Labour Party have strongly condemned the incidents, alleging that the attacks formed part of a deliberate attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress to intimidate opposition figures and weaken rival political parties before the next national polls.

However, the APC has dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless and insisting that internal crises within opposition parties were responsible for most of the violent episodes being reported.

The developments, which come barely months into the early political realignments ahead of the next election cycle, have sparked fears that Nigeria’s political climate could become increasingly volatile long before the formal campaign season begins.

Opposition leaders, however, vowed that the alleged intimidation would not deter them from mobilising their members or preparing for the 2027 elections.

Opposition raises alarm

The National Publicity Secretaries of the ADC and PDP, Bolaji Abdullahi and Ini Ememobong, accused President Bola Tinubu and the APC of deliberately targeting opposition leaders and party structures in what they described as an orchestrated attempt to manipulate the political environment ahead of the next general election.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Abdullahi alleged that the attacks were not isolated but part of a broader strategy to intimidate opposition parties.

He stated, “I mean, it is part of an intimidation strategy. What they are trying to do is to manipulate the political field.

“They have repeatedly maintained that what the ruling party wants is to manipulate the political space so that only the incumbent President will be standing in the 2027 election.

“They have managed to draw in many governors. What they are now doing is intimidation.

“The violence you are seeing is meant to intimidate our members so that they will not even be able to attend meetings or organise themselves.

“In the case of Edo and Rivers, for instance, they attacked Rivers’ office because the former governor, Rotimi Amaechi, was there to conduct his registration.

“They targeted Edo because the party leaders were holding a meeting there. These actions are clearly part of an intimidation strategy, and they cannot even deny it.”

Abdullahi revealed that the party was compiling records of the attacks and planned to escalate the matter to international bodies.

He said, “We are going to report all these incidents. We are compiling and documenting every case of assault and the damages.

“We will write to the African Union Court of Human Rights and the ECOWAS Court of Justice. We will also petition major embassies and high commissions in Nigeria to inform them about how the ruling APC is deliberately promoting violence as a political strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Their plan is to weaken the resolve of our members and discourage them from participating. But, we are not going to surrender. We are not going to give up. We will continue to encourage our members.

“Our members will not be discouraged because they understand what is going on and what they are fighting for.

“Nigerians know that the current situation has brought the country to its knees, and it cannot continue this way for another four years.”

PDP blames ‘presidential body language’

Similarly, PDP spokesman Ememobong alleged that the President’s body language had emboldened security agencies and political actors to target opposition leaders.

According to him, remarks credited to the President celebrating the disarray within the opposition could be interpreted as encouragement for actions aimed at weakening rival parties.

Ememobong stated, “Well, the state agencies operate clearly under the instructions of the executive. And if a President says in front of the National Assembly that he is happy when he sees the opposition crumble, it would therefore suggest that one of the key appraisal issues for state agencies is to ensure that they can decimate leaders of the opposition, because the easiest way for the opposition to crumble is for their leaders to be persecuted and harassed.

“And because it is ‘strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.’ So if a President says that on the floor of the National Assembly, then it is clearly giving a signal that people’s promotion may depend on the unwarranted efforts of state agencies that provoke attacks and persecution of opposition leaders.

“It may not be direct, and it may not be expressed, but it is obviously implied. But we advise the President and the leaders of the agencies to know that the country is bigger than the President and his party.

“More importantly, the survival of democracy is hinged on the survival of the opposition. The government’s survival is more dependent on the survival of the opposition than on the administration of the government.

“It is the presence of a virile opposition that signals a healthy democracy.”

He said the PDP had begun documenting the incidents and would present the evidence to the appropriate institutions.

He continued, “So it is the presence of a virile opposition, a healthy opposition, that is the defining factor and the check that shows that democracy is functional in a society.

“The attempt may be to see how they can delay our members and make them lose focus from working towards ensuring that the ruling party is defeated in 2027. But it will not work.

“We are taking note of everything that is happening, and we shall give the public and other relevant institutions the record for appropriate action.

“We are reaching out to our members. We are communicating with them, sharing strategies, and developing counter-strategies to ensure that our members are safe and secure.

“We have also set up legal teams. Unfortunately, some occurrences have shaken people’s faith in the judiciary, but nonetheless, we believe in the judiciary, and we want people to continue to believe in it because we must not, at any point, resort to self-help.

“So we are setting our strategies, providing legal counsel and legal teams, and reaching out to our people.”

NNPP Blames APC

The National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP, Ladipo Johnson, also blamed the rising tensions on what he described as inflammatory rhetoric from the ruling party.

Johnson said, “This is telling us that the rhetoric of the party at the centre is very bad. It is obvious that their boys on the streets still feel, much as they do, that despite all the hounding and claims of having 30 governors, victory is not assured for them in 2027. So, it’s a sad thing.

“We have seen how they have been going about attacking the opposition, including the ADC, when they want to do registration in a place. Yet, we have not heard anybody from the government call them out.

“When the shooting happened against Peter Obi and others in Edo, did anyone in the government condemn it or say this is bad or this must stop? We haven’t heard anything.

“The plan is very simple. They don’t want people to come out to vote. They know that if people come out to vote and parties have time to do proper registration in accordance with the Electoral Act, it won’t be so certain for them.

“So you can imagine that with their governors and other things people feel belong to them, they are still afraid.”

LP urges restraint

Reacting to the growing tensions, the acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, Nenadi Usman, urged political actors to exercise restraint in order to prevent further escalation of violence.

Speaking through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, Usman warned that the pattern of attacks was troubling and could undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.

She said, “We are urging restraint in this, because as it is now, even supporters of the current FCT minister, who is in the opposition, were reportedly attacked yesterday (Saturday). So, you can understand that the whole thing is looking like it is multifaceted.

“The one that happened in Edo was the ADC members who were attacked. In Amaechi’s hometown in Ubima, it was the ADC that was attacked, too. But you can see that the attack on the current FCT minister’s supporters has added a new twist to the drama.

“So, I think politicians should restrain themselves, honestly, because we need to have Nigeria first before we even have elections to contest and positions to occupy.

“But with the way we are going, I’m just wondering if there will be a smooth atmosphere for us to have this election coming in 2027. It’s very worrisome, and it is time for the law enforcement agencies to rise to the occasion.”

She also questioned the slow pace of arrests despite videos showing armed individuals during some of the attacks.

Usman said, “The people who are doing this thing are not spirits. They are Nigerians. You saw some video clips that surfaced showing some of these people carrying guns and shooting guns here and there.

“So, if ordinary individuals who are unarmed could film some of these things, I’m wondering why the security agents are not rising up to the occasion.

“But it is heartwarming to see some changes. I read some days back that the DSS arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting in Edo. At least some of those things could serve as a deterrent.”

Oyo violence deepens concerns

Political tensions also flared in Oyo State, where the Social Democratic Party cautioned the PDP against turning the state into a battleground after violence marred the party’s local government congress in Ibadan on Saturday.

The congress, organised by a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reportedly ended in chaos after suspected political thugs disrupted proceedings and destroyed vehicles.

The PDP in the state has been battling internal divisions between supporters of Wike and those loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde.

Reacting to the incident, the Oyo State Chairman of the SDP, Michael Okunlade, urged political actors to avoid actions that could destabilise the state.

He said, “We learned about the violence during the PDP congress via radio and social media yesterday (Saturday).

“As the 2027 elections draw near, we appeal to all political parties within the state to concentrate their campaigns on substantive issues.

“Furthermore, we caution the PDP against turning the state into a battleground in the run-up to the 2027 elections. The party should coordinate its activities in the best interest of residents.

“This also constitutes a call to the state police command to caution major political figures against misusing their influence for personal advantage and inciting chaos.

“We implore law enforcement authorities to monitor the activities of all political entities diligently, given that the 2027 elections are imminent, less than 12 months away.”

Edo attack

One of the most alarming incidents occurred in Edo State, where the ADC state chairman, Ken Odion, said the party’s secretariat had been attacked twice within a short period.

According to him, the attackers destroyed property, injured supporters and vandalised vehicles.

He said, “The first attempt was attempted arson as there was an attempt to burn down the secretariat. They came with fuel, destroyed the party flag and other paraphernalia and some windows were shattered.

“The second attempt was made when we had an event at the secretariat, and all the party supporters were there. It was difficult for them to destroy the secretariat, but they destroyed the canopies and chairs that were used for the event.

“The disc jockey was not lucky as he was beaten and his equipment destroyed. In all, three people were injured.” He added that the attackers later targeted the residence of the party’s national leader, John Odigie-Oyegun, where vehicles were damaged.

Odion said, “The thugs then moved to the residence of our national leader, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, shortly after the attack on the secretariat.

“At Chief Oyegun’s house, four vehicles were shattered. No life was lost. They shot into the compound because they thought people were in those vehicles.”

Amaechi convoy attack

Political tensions were also reported in Rivers State, where gunmen reportedly attacked the ADC secretariat in Ubima, the hometown of former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi.

The building was allegedly set ablaze by gunmen who fired shots to scare residents before carrying out the attack.

An ally of Amaechi confirmed the incident and said the secretariat had been newly acquired by the party.

He said, “The secretariat was actually attacked and set ablaze by criminal elements in the community on Thursday night. It was the following day (Friday) that his (Amaechi’s) convoy was attacked around Omuanwa community, also in Ikwerre LGA, on his way to Ubima for party registration.”

The ally added that vigilante members had intercepted Amaechi’s convoy, raising questions about the motive behind the action.

IPAC warns

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council in Rivers State warned that political violence could escalate if security agencies failed to act decisively.

The Secretary of IPAC in the state, Benjamin Ogbogbula, called on the police to arrest those responsible for the attack.

He said, “This act of attacking political parties’ offices is uncalled for in a democratic setting. This ought not to happen.

“So the police should investigate the incident and apprehend those involved in that dastardly act and ensure they are brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

“What they are doing is to see that opposition parties do not have a presence in the state as 2027 is coming. It is a heinous act, and the perpetrators must be identified and brought to book.”

APC denies involvement

The APC has rejected allegations linking it to the attacks.

The Edo State Publicity Secretary of the party, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, insisted that the opposition should not blame the ruling party without evidence.

He said, “An arrest has been made already. The person arrested, does he not have an identity? Did the police not interrogate him? Did he say he is a member of the APC? Did he say the APC commissioned him to attack the ADC secretariat? If he did not confess to being a member of the APC, how can anyone ascribe his action to the APC?

“It is a criminal matter, and everyone must own up to their actions, and there is no vicarious liability in criminal law. If you commit an offence, you go in for it.”

Similarly, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in an earlier statement, dismissed accusations against the ruling party and blamed the incidents on internal conflicts within opposition parties.

He stated, “Accusing the APC even before any investigation is carried out by law enforcement is particularly senseless, and shows the ADC as a party that lacks focus and without regard for the due process of law.

“Make no mistake, violence of any kind in our political space is unacceptable and must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.”

Political analysts say the spate of attacks reflects the growing tension ahead of the 2027 general elections, which many believe could become one of the most competitive political contests in Nigeria’s recent history.

While opposition parties accuse the ruling party of intimidation, the APC insists that its rivals are exploiting isolated incidents to score political points.

The incidents have, however, heightened concerns among stakeholders about the need for security agencies to ensure a peaceful political environment as preparations for the next election cycle gradually gather momentum.

Many observers warn that if the current trend continues unchecked, it could further inflame political tensions and undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process. (The PUNCH)

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