As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, multiple remarks attributed to some members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are drawing public concern. Critics say the comments are threatening or intimidating, and could be used to pressure voters to back the ruling party. Several incidents are described across different states and in online videos and reports.
One case involves Osun East Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who is accused of threatening Accord Party members before the Osun State governorship election; he later withdrew a statement he reportedly made. In Kuje, an aide to the Kuje Area Council chairman is alleged to have warned residents they would not be able to live in the area if they did not vote for APC candidates. Separately, Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Sainna Buba is accused—based on a widely circulated video—of suggesting force could be used against people who refuse to support the APC, with additional allegations about cutting off the hand of anyone who declines to vote.
Other reports mention APC chairman Muhammad Gadaka telling women whose husbands stopped them from voting APC to leave their marriages and that he would marry them; he later withdrew the statement and apologised, saying he was joking. Some outlets also describe tensions at an APC rally in Kano where suspected thugs with weapons were reported near a stadium. Legal experts stress that voters have rights protected by Nigeria’s Constitution and Electoral Act, and that the use of force or intimidation to influence voting is not allowed, while security agencies and election bodies have pledged credible polls.
