By Oscar Okhifo
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that alleged attacks and intimidation targeting opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections could push political tensions to a dangerous point, saying it was “getting close” to considering how its members could protect themselves.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, issued the warning on Monday at a press conference in Abuja, where he challenged the Nigeria Police Force to publicly account for investigations into reported attacks on ADC members, meetings and facilities across the country.
Abdullahi said the party had documented incidents of alleged political violence, intimidation, destruction of property and attacks involving its members in Kaduna, Kebbi, Ekiti, Cross River, Rivers, Edo, Osun, Kogi and Enugu states between July 2025 and September 2026.
He said the incidents had raised concerns about the security environment in which political parties would operate ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The Nigerian Police is not APC police; it is the police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Abdullahi said, insisting that all political parties must be allowed to hold meetings, campaign and conduct lawful activities without intimidation.
He cited the February attack on the ADC secretariat in Benin City, Edo State, as well as the reported attack at the residence of former Edo governor and former APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun.
According to him, although the police announced investigations into the incidents, the party was yet to be informed of any arrest, prosecution or outcome.
He also alleged that an ADC member identified as Kamadiyoi was killed three days ago when party members preparing for a political meeting in Community Ward One, Odua Local Government Area of Rivers State, were attacked.
Similar attacks, he said, had been reported in Enugu and Kogi states, with several members allegedly injured.
Abdullahi called on the Inspector-General of Police to provide a public account of the investigations.
“People have been killed, people have been maimed, properties have been burned and destroyed. Police say they are investigating, so we want to know the status of the investigations they have conducted,” he said.
State Police
Responding to a question on whether state police could help curb violence against opposition parties, Abdullahi said the ADC was closely monitoring proposals to establish state-controlled police structures.
He said the party was concerned that state police could be “weaponized” against opposition parties if adequate safeguards were not put in place.
“We have the concern that you have, and all along, the argument against state police is not that we don’t need state police to strengthen Nigeria’s security system, it is that the state police can be weaponized against opposition political parties,” he said.
According to him, ADC lawmakers in the National Assembly were monitoring the legislative process and would announce the party’s position at the appropriate time.
“If that is going to be a fulfilled promise under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we shall all see. But we are ready for that.
“We are conscious of it, and we are ready for it,” he said.
ADC’s Position on Violence
Abdullahi said the ADC also had a responsibility to reduce political tension and had imposed strict rules on its members against violence and inflammatory rhetoric.
“For us as a party, we’ve told all our members that as long as you are in ADC, you cannot engage in violence and you cannot make statements and rhetoric that promote violence or divisions along ethnic and religious lines,” he said.
He said the party’s position was contained in its policy document, popularly known as the Orange Book, which, according to him, commits the ADC to rejecting violence in all forms.
Abdullahi said the party’s demand for accountability from the government was based on the same standards it applied to itself.
“We even hold ourselves to higher standards, and we believe that that’s what gives us the moral standing to demand what we are demanding.
“What are we asking for? We are asking for the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to be enforced. That’s all we are asking for,” he said.
However, the ADC spokesman issued his strongest warning when asked at what point the party would direct its members to defend themselves against further attacks.
“We are getting close. We are getting close,” he said.
He maintained that the party would continue working to preserve peace and restrain its members, but warned that the ability of party leaders to control their supporters depended partly on whether members believed the party was standing up for them.
“We will do whatever it takes to protect the peace. We will do whatever it takes to keep our members under control.
“But the only way we can guarantee that when we talk to them, they will listen is that they see that we are standing up for them, that we are fighting for them, and that we can actually fight for them,” he said.
Abdullahi said failure by security agencies to protect opposition members could encourage people to resort to self-help.
He warned: “When the police send the signal that they are not capable of protecting you, then they are asking you to resort to self-help.
“We are getting close. We cannot ask our people to continue to turn the other cheek when they are being slapped all the time. We are not pastors or imams. We are not running a religious organisation. We are running a political party.”
ADC Faults INEC
Abdullahi also criticised what he described as the silence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged attacks on opposition parties.
He said the electoral body had a responsibility to ensure that political parties and candidates could operate in a safe and fair environment, arguing that its role extended beyond the actual conduct of voting on election day.
“I’m only interested in INEC to the extent that INEC has a responsibility to step up and speak up on this violence against opposition political parties,” he said.
The ADC spokesman said the party would continue documenting reported incidents and pursue available legal and institutional channels, including petitions to security agencies, the National Human Rights Commission, ECOWAS, the African Union and relevant judicial and civil society bodies.
“We are keeping records. We are documenting every single incident,” he said.
Abdullahi said the ADC remained committed to non-violence, adding that National Chairman, Senator David Mark, had directed candidates and members to avoid divisive rhetoric capable of inflaming ethnic or religious tensions.
He, however, warned that unless authorities took concrete steps to protect opposition parties and enforce existing laws, continued political violence could undermine public confidence in the 2027 electoral process.