2027: Kuje Council Chair Faces Backlash Over Alleged Threat Against Anti-APC Residents

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo, has come under criticism after a video surfaced in which he allegedly told residents who would not support the All Progressives Congress (APC) to leave the area council.

The remarks have drawn condemnation from civil society organisations and political analysts, who described them as a threat to residents’ constitutional rights and freedom of political choice.

In the video circulating on social media, Shekwolo was heard saying: “I have said in my area council, it’s either you’re doing APC or leave the area council. I am not arguing with you.”

He linked his position to development projects undertaken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

The council chairman said residents should support the APC in return for the interventions attributed to the Federal Government and the FCT administration.

“I cannot have the minister and president doing for us what they are doing. Then, on the day of election, you now come and say you want to match me. I will not do it,” he said.

The comments have generated concern ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly over whether political affiliation could become a condition for residents to remain in a community.

Amnesty International, through its country director, Isa Sanusi, condemned the reported remarks and called on security agencies to investigate the matter.

The organisation said no Nigerian should be compelled to link the right to reside in a community with support for a political party.

“Authoritatively saying that those who will not vote APC must leave Kuje area council is a direct threat to lives and an attack on freedom of association and liberty of persons,” the organisation said in a statement.

Amnesty International also urged the police and other security agencies to prevent violence against residents because of their political choices.

“Security agencies must not look the other way, and must ensure that Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo face justice for these reckless and irresponsible threats to the people,” Sanusi said.

The organisation called for accountability if the remarks were established to have been made by the council chairman.

A political and public affairs analyst, Associate Professor Babayo Sule of the University of Namibia, also described the reported statement as a serious matter with implications for citizens’ constitutional rights.

Sule said the warning attributed to Shekwolo, that residents who would not support or vote for the APC and President Bola Tinubu in 2027 should leave Kuje, was “unfortunate” and “disastrous”.

“The recent video clip that is circulating in which the chairman of Kuje local government in the FCT council in Nigeria is busy around issuing a very serious existential threat to any Nigerian citizen that is not ready to support or vote for APC and Tinubu government in 2027 is unfortunate, is disastrous,” he said.

He said the statement raised legal and constitutional concerns, particularly with regard to freedom of movement and political participation.

Sule cited Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees Nigerians the right to move freely and reside in any part of the country.

He also noted that citizens aged 18 and above have the right to participate in political activities and vote for candidates of their choice.

“What this man did is an expression of extreme ignorance, arrogance, lack of understanding of the diversity and complexity of Nigeria’s political environment and socio-cultural context,” Sule said.

He called on the relevant authorities to investigate the matter and said the chairman should be held accountable if it was established that he made the statement.

Sule further warned the APC against ignoring the controversy, saying the remarks could have consequences for the party’s relationship with voters.

Council Clarifies Chairman’s Remarks

The Kuje Area Council administration later moved to explain the chairman’s comments, saying they had been misunderstood and should not be regarded as an instruction for residents to leave the council.

In a statement issued by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Musa Samson Adayilo, the council said it remained committed to serving residents regardless of their political affiliations.

“We wish to clarify that the administration of Kuje Area Council remains committed to serving all residents without discrimination on the basis of political affiliation,” Adayilo said.

According to him, the chairman’s comments were intended to encourage residents to support President Tinubu because of development projects carried out in the FCT under the leadership of Wike.

Adayilo appealed to residents and supporters of different political parties not to interpret the comments in a way that could create division.

“Political differences are natural in a democratic society, but they should never become a barrier to peaceful coexistence, development and good governance,” he said.

The council maintained that Kuje belongs to all its residents and urged them to work together despite political differences.

Similar Political Threats In Previous Elections

The controversy has also brought renewed attention to previous statements by political figures and traditional authorities that were perceived as threats against voters because of their political choices.

In the build-up to the 2019 election, Oluremi Tinubu was reported to have criticised Igbos in Lagos and said they were ungrateful after being “accommodated” in the state.

She said: “We will entreat all the deities of Lagos to chase Igbo people out. Igbo who didn’t marry Yoruba, we will inherit them. Given how much we love Igbo, you now want to spoil everything.

“You are not the only tribe in this place, Hausa are here, we accommodate them, Calabar are here, we accommodate them. But Igbos are proving difficult. We will inherit you. Despite the love, we have for you… others are here and we accommodated them.”

In 2015, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, also made controversial remarks while addressing Igbo leaders ahead of the Lagos governorship election.

He warned those who failed to support the APC candidate at the time, Akinwunmi Ambode, of consequences.

“On Saturday, if anyone of you goes against Ambode who I picked, that is your end. If it doesn’t happen within seven days, just know that I am a bastard and it is not my father who gave birth to me.

“On Saturday, if anyone of you, I swear in the name of God, goes against my wish that Ambode will be the next governor of Lagos state, the person is going to die inside this water.

“I’m not ready to beg you. Nobody knew how I picked Ambode. Jimi is my blood relation and I told him that he cannot be governor in Lagos for now. The future belongs to God. I am not begging anybody, but what you people cannot do in Onitsha, Aba or anywhere, don’t do it here.”

He later assured Ndigbo that they would prosper in Lagos if they supported Ambode at the polls.

“If you do what I want, Lagos will continue to be prosperous for you. If you go against my wish, you will perish in the water.

“I am for the progress, growth and development of Lagos. Ambode is highly cerebral, he’s a symbol and he is going to deliver the message which I, the Oba of Lagos, have said. And he will govern the state for another eight years.

“He is going on a mission and God will give him the wisdom and knowledge to fulfill that mission. Almost a year ago, I declared that Ambode will be the next governor of Lagos and it will not change.”

MC Oluomo’s 2023 Remarks

In 2023, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, who was then Chairman of the State Parks Management Committee in Lagos, was also reported to have warned Igbo voters against going to polling units if they would not vote for the APC.

In a video circulated on social media, Akinsanya addressed a gathering and urged Igbo voters who would not support the party to remain at home.

He said, “It is not a fight. It is not a problem. What do we want to correct? Our PVC. And we will stand there. Yoruba should get there first and should vote first. When we finish voting, we will be watching because we have begged you and you said you have heard. If you make a mistake, you will understand. Please tell them, we have begged them.

“If they don’t vote for us, it is not a fight. Tell them that, Chukwudi’s mother, if you don’t (vote) for us, sit down at home. Do you understand? Sit down at home.”

Osun Senator’s Warning

More recently, two weeks before the August 15 Osun State governorship election, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East, was reported to have issued a death threat against members of the Accord Party found in Ilesa.

“It is animal that kills. Have you ever heard that APC killed anyone? Are those being killed not your people?” Mr Fadahunsi said.

“So, we have come to tell you, up till the day of the election, if we see them, it is killing.”

The statement came a day after three people were killed in a shooting in the Imo area of Ilesa amid heightened political tension.

The latest controversy over the Kuje council chairman’s remarks has therefore renewed concerns over the use of political rhetoric that could intimidate voters or undermine citizens’ freedom to choose political parties and candidates during elections.