African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has called on security agencies to investigate an alleged threat by the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, over comments linked to the 2027 presidential election.
The opposition campaign council also condemned the reported attack on ADC members and destruction of vehicles belonging to party supporters in Gegu, Koton Karfi Local Government Area of Kogi State, describing the incident as a threat to democratic participation.
The council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the position known in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to the statement, the ADC accused Tenebe of threatening to deploy AK-47 rifles against anyone who attempts to deny the APC the 2.5 million votes it expects from Edo State for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Ologbondiyan said the council waited for the APC leadership and President Tinubu to publicly condemn or distance themselves from the alleged statement but claimed that no such response had been made.
“We are shocked that a state chairman of a ruling party, Mr. Jarrett Tenebe, can stand before the public and threaten Nigerians with AK-47 rifles if they refuse to vote for his party, the APC.
“This is terrorism, and not politics. This is the height of desperation by a party that has failed Nigerians woefully,” Ologbondiyan said.
He further alleged that since President Tinubu’s reported statement that “all is fair in politics,” some APC members had increasingly resorted to intimidation, harassment and violations of the law.
The ADC spokesman argued that the alleged threat violated Nigeria’s Constitution and the Electoral Act, adding that such comments should be investigated by the relevant authorities.
He also claimed that the incident had heightened fears that violence and intimidation could be used during the 2027 general election.
The council therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to invite Tenebe for questioning over the alleged comments.
ADC also appealed to the international community, including the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, ECOWAS, the United States and other democratic partners, to closely monitor political developments ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to Ologbondiyan, the 2027 presidential election would serve as “a referendum” on the performance of the APC-led Federal Government, insisting that Nigerians should be allowed to vote freely without fear or intimidation.
On the reported attack on ADC members in Kogi State, the council urged security agencies to investigate the incident and prosecute those responsible.
“We call on the members of our Kogi State chapter, particularly in Koton Karfi Local Government, to name everyone they identified in the course of the needless attack,” Ologbondiyan said.
He also urged law enforcement agencies to ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
The statement comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum, with political parties stepping up consultations, mobilisation and public engagements across the country. The APC has not issued an official response to the allegations contained in the ADC statement at the time of filing this report.
