The Edo State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, has come under scrutiny following remarks threatening to unleash AK-47 fire on anyone who attempts to frustrate the party’s plan to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Tenebe made the controversial statement while addressing APC supporters at a gathering in Benin City, Edo State, following a local government council election.
Addressing those he accused of attempting to obstruct the party’s electoral ambitions, Tenebe said: “So, anybody who refuses, who wants to stand in our way, for us not to have those votes that we intend to give to Mr President, AK-47 fire.”
The remarks have raised concerns about the growing use of inflammatory language by political figures ahead of the 2027 general election, with observers warning that threats of violence could heighten political tensions and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
Other Political Figures Accused of Making Threatening Remarks
Tenebe’s statement comes amid a series of controversial remarks by political actors across Nigeria.
In September, Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, warned critics of Governor Babagana Zulum’s administration that those who raised their fingers against the government would have theirs cut off.
Buba made the remark at a campaign inauguration organised by the City Boy Movement, a political support organisation backing Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
In Yobe State, APC chairman Muhammad Gadaka told women at a political rally in Nangere Local Government Area that he would pay the bride price of women whose husbands divorced them for voting for the ruling party.
Gadaka later apologised, explaining that his comment had been misunderstood and was intended as a joke rooted in a traditional relationship between the Gamawa and Kare-Kare communities.
Similarly, Kuje Area Council chairman Danjuma Shekwolo, in the Federal Capital Territory, told residents to support the APC or leave the council. He subsequently clarified that his remarks were made at a meeting with APC youths and loyalists and were not intended to deny residents their rights because of their political affiliations.
In Osun State, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East, reportedly urged his supporters to attack members of the Accord Party ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election.
The incidents have renewed concerns about political intimidation and the consequences of inflammatory statements by public officeholders and party officials.
AK-47 Display in Kano Sparks Fresh Concerns
One of the reported developments following Tenebe’s remarks was the public display of a firearm by Aminu Warkal, a House of Assembly candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Party (NDC) in Kano State.
Warkal was seen leaning out of a moving vehicle at a political rally while displaying a firearm and warning that his side was prepared to respond if the APC wanted war.
Some observers linked his actions to the controversy surrounding Tenebe’s remarks, arguing that the failure to investigate inflammatory statements consistently could encourage retaliatory displays of force.
However, the Kano State Police Command invited Warkal for questioning over the alleged unlawful display of a firearm.
Police spokesperson Abdullahi Kiyawa said the command had come across a video circulating on social media showing Warkal displaying what was suspected to be a pump-action rifle during what appeared to be a political gathering.
According to Kiyawa, the alleged unlawful display, if established, could violate the Firearms Act and potentially intimidate members of the public, incite fear and threaten public peace and security.
He said the invitation was issued on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, and reaffirmed the command’s position against lawlessness, political thuggery and the public display of weapons capable of threatening security.
The police also urged politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully and comply with the Electoral Act, the Firearms Act and other applicable laws.
Calls Grow for DSS to Investigate Tenebe
Following the police action against Warkal, Kennedy Iyere, an Accord Party senatorial candidate for Edo Central in the 2027 election and a civil society leader, called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate Tenebe over his alleged AK-47 threat.
In a petition to the DSS director in Edo State, Iyere described the remarks as a potential threat to peace, political stability and national security.
He urged the security agency to investigate the matter and compel Tenebe to publicly retract the alleged statement across media platforms.
Iyere warned that failure to address the issue could trigger youth-led protests and political agitation ahead of the 2027 general election.
He also called on the DSS to consider the remarks within Nigeria’s wider political and security environment and take steps to prevent an escalation of tensions.
Opposition Politician Warns of Possible Violence
Ganiyu James, an opposition politician in Lagos, said inflammatory political statements could lead to violence, loss of lives and destruction of property if authorities failed to act consistently.
James criticised what he described as unequal treatment of ruling-party and opposition figures, arguing that all politicians should be held accountable for statements capable of inciting violence, regardless of party affiliation.
He maintained that Tenebe’s remarks should not be left uninvestigated and called on the relevant authorities to invite him to explain what he meant by threatening AK-47 fire against those opposing the APC’s target of delivering 2.5 million votes for Tinubu.
According to James, selective enforcement of the law could deepen public distrust and encourage retaliatory conduct among political supporters.
He warned that allowing inflammatory remarks to go unchallenged could embolden other actors and increase the risk of violence, anarchy and bloodshed.
Concerns Mount Ahead of the 2027 General Election
The controversy surrounding Tenebe’s remarks has highlighted concerns about political rhetoric, public safety and the responsibility of party leaders to discourage intimidation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections.
Political observers argue that threats involving firearms, attacks against opponents and statements that appear to question citizens’ political rights could heighten tensions if not addressed through lawful and impartial measures.
They have also stressed the importance of consistent law enforcement, peaceful political campaigns and accountability for public statements that could incite violence.
As political activities gather momentum ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election, the handling of such incidents could become an important test of the commitment of political parties and security agencies to a peaceful electoral process.