BENIN CITY, Nigeria, Oct 4, 2026: Nigerian civil society activists and local voters have appealed to international bodies and foreign governments to step in following a surge in open political threats and voter intimidation in Edo State ahead of the country’s 2027 general elections.
In an official public appeal issued Sunday, Ikhuenbor Felix Igbinevbo, a community advocate and registered voter from Uhunmwode Local Government Area, urged the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS, and foreign diplomatic missions, including the United States and United Kingdom, to place Edo State under a formal pre-election human rights watch.
The petition follows a series of controversial public statements and directives by officials of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State that have raised fears of widespread political violence and voter suppression.
Threats of Firearms and Forced Compliance
According to local media reports and viral video footage circulating online, Edo APC Chairman Jarrett Tenebe sparked outrage at a rally in Benin City on October 2 while discussing the party’s targets for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Tenebe was recorded telling supporters that anyone who attempts to obstruct the party’s goal of delivering 2.5 million votes to the president would face “AK-47 fire,” alongside threats involving heavy weaponry.
Further intimidating rhetoric was reported in Esan West Local Government Area, where Council Chairman Blessing Ebhodaghe allegedly issued strict directives to commercial drivers operating in local transit hubs, ordering them to wear APC-branded paraphernalia or face eviction from motor parks. Ebhodaghe also reportedly threatened to demolish a local hotel for hosting events organized by opposition political parties, explicitly describing the move as an official government action.
Growing Security Concerns and Constitutional Violations
The escalating rhetoric has alarmed residents, commercial operators, and opposition supporters, who fear for their safety, livelihoods, and businesses as political tensions mount well ahead of the official campaign cycle.
“Security agencies have not summoned or cautioned those making these threats, thereby creating room for further intimidation and the normalization of political violence,” Igbinevbo said in his statement, citing protections for freedom of expression, assembly, and association guaranteed under Sections 39 and 40 of Nigeria’s Constitution.
Calls for International Oversight
The appeal calls on Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police and federal authorities to immediately open investigations into public threats of violence made by political figures. It also urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement strict measures ensuring a secure, neutral environment for all political parties and voters.
Diplomatic missions and international observer groups have been asked to prioritize Edo State in their pre-election monitoring agendas to safeguard democratic norms and prevent electoral violence in Africa’s most populous nation.
