The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, Jarrett Tenebe, has sparked controversy after making a reference to an AK-47 while speaking about the party’s ambition to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Tenebe made the remark in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Friday while addressing APC supporters at a party gathering following the recent local government council election in the state.
The APC chairman said Governor Monday Okpebholo had promised President Tinubu that Edo State would deliver 2.5 million votes for him in the 2027 election.
He said the party was determined to work towards achieving the ambitious target, while urging its members to remain committed to strengthening the APC ahead of the general election.
Tenebe also claimed that the APC secured 2,158,600 votes in the recent local government election in the state, describing the figure as an unprecedented electoral feat.
He suggested that the party’s performance in the local government election demonstrated its ability to mobilise substantial support across Edo and provided a basis for its projection ahead of 2027.
However, the APC chairman’s address took a controversial turn when he referred to people he believed could attempt to frustrate the party’s efforts to achieve its projected votes for Tinubu.
Tenebe said those opposed to the party’s plans would face his “prayer”, before making a direct reference to an AK-47.
“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,” he said.
The statement has raised concerns about the language being used by political actors ahead of the 2027 general election, particularly against the backdrop of Nigeria’s history of election-related violence.
Political campaigns and rallies are expected to intensify as parties position themselves for the presidential, governorship and legislative elections. Analysts and civil society organisations have consistently warned political actors and their supporters against inflammatory rhetoric capable of heightening tension.
Tenebe’s remark is the latest in a series of controversial statements attributed to political figures in the build-up to the 2027 elections.
In September, Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, came under criticism after warning critics of the Babagana Zulum administration that those who “raise” their fingers against the government would have them cut off.
Buba made the statement at a campaign inauguration organised by the City Boy Movement, a political support group backing President Tinubu’s second-term bid.
In another incident, the APC Chairman in Yobe State, 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 subsequently apologised, saying his comment had been misunderstood and was intended as a joke based on a traditional relationship between the Gamawa and Kare-Kare communities.
Similarly, Danjuma Shekwolo, Chairman of the Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, attracted criticism after telling residents to support the APC or leave the council.
Shekwolo later clarified his remarks, explaining that the statement was made during a meeting with APC youths and loyalists and was not intended to suggest that residents would lose their rights because of their political affiliation.
In Osun State, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East, also faced controversy after reportedly urging his supporters to attack members of the Accord ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election.
The succession of such remarks has renewed concerns about the tone of political discourse ahead of the 2027 elections.
With political parties already intensifying their mobilisation efforts, stakeholders are expected to exercise restraint and avoid statements that could be interpreted as threats or encouragement of violence.
For Edo APC, the immediate political objective remains the delivery of the 2.5 million votes reportedly promised to President Tinubu. However, Tenebe’s reference to firearms has shifted attention from the party’s electoral target to concerns over the language being deployed in the political campaign.
The 2027 election is expected to be one of the country’s most closely watched electoral contests, making responsible communication by political leaders and supporters particularly important in maintaining peace and public confidence in the democratic process.
