Outrage over APC chairman’s AK-47 threats in Edo

BY TITUS AKHIGBE, BENIN

The Peoples Assembly for Good Governance (PAGG) has condemned the reported “AK-47 fire” threats issued by the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, describing the remarks as reckless, inflammatory and completely unacceptable in a democratic society.

In a viral video circulating publicly and reported by several media organisations on October 2, 2026, Tenebe, while addressing an APC gathering in Edo State, was heard referring to “General Purpose Machine Gun power” and subsequently declaring “AK-47 fire” against anyone who might stand in the way of the party’s plan to secure 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

In a terse statement signed by the National Chairman, Dr.Samson Isibor and Secretary, Hon.Nkama Waribe, PAGG considers such language deeply disturbing, particularly coming from a senior official of Nigeria’s ruling political party at a time when political parties and their supporters should be reassuring Nigerians that the 2027 elections will be conducted peacefully and democratically.

Elections are won through persuasion, policies, programmes, credible candidates and the free choice of voters—not through references to assault rifles, machine guns or threats against political opponents.

According to Isibor, “political party owns the votes of Nigerians. Every registered voter has the constitutional right to decide freely whom to support, and no party chairman, governor, political organisation or individual has the authority to intimidate citizens into voting for a particular candidate.

“The attempt to associate the delivery of a predetermined number of votes with threats of “AK-47 fire” is particularly troubling because political rhetoric from influential party officials can have consequences beyond the podium. Such statements can create fear among opposition supporters, intimidate ordinary citizens and contribute to an atmosphere in which political disagreements are treated as confrontations rather than legitimate democratic competition.

“PAGG therefore calls on the leadership of the APC to publicly distance itself from the remarks and make its position clear on whether threats invoking firearms represent the party’s acceptable language for political mobilisation.

“We also call on the relevant law-enforcement and electoral authorities to examine the circumstances surrounding the statement and determine whether any provision of Nigerian law has been breached. This is not a matter that should be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric when firearms and threats are explicitly invoked in connection with an election.

Continuing, Isibor said, “PAGG equally urges Governor Monday Okpebholo and other senior APC leaders in Edo State to speak clearly on the matter. Silence in the face of such inflammatory language risks creating the impression that such conduct is tolerated within the party.

“We remind the APC and all political actors that the ballot box is not a battlefield, political opponents are not enemies, and elections are not wars. The 2027 elections must be about competing ideas, records, policies and the freedom of Nigerians to make their choices without intimidation or fear.

“PAGG will continue to defend democratic participation, peaceful political competition and the constitutional rights of citizens. We will not accept any attempt by the APC or any other political organisation to replace democratic persuasion with threats of violence.

“Nigerians must be allowed to vote freely. Their votes belong to them, not to any political party”, he posited.