…Accuses Tinubu of prioritising 2027 over security

The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives on Wednesday asked President Bola Tinubu to either provide decisive leadership to tackle worsening insecurity and economic hardship or step aside, accusing the administration of prioritising political calculations for the 2027 elections over governance.

Addressing journalists at the National Assembly, Abuja, Minority Leader, Hon. Fred Agbedi, said Nigeria was facing a dangerous combination of insecurity, economic hardship and what he described as attempts to weaken opposition parties ahead of the next general elections.

The caucus condemned the killing of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar in captivity, describing the incident as a “national shame” and evidence of the country’s deteriorating security situation.

Agbedi said the abduction and death of a retired senior military officer showed that no Nigerian was safe, regardless of status or service to the country.

The caucus urged President Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief, to articulate a clear strategy for defeating insurgents, bandits and other criminal groups operating across the country.

It expressed concern over the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, calling for an immediate rescue operation.

According to Agbedi, every hour the victims remain in captivity represents “an hour stolen from Nigeria’s future.”

“From Sokoto to Enugu, from Borno to Lagos, the story is the same: hunger, killings, kidnappings, collapse of the naira, collapse of hope. Yet what preoccupies the ruling party and the Presidency is 2027. Endorsement rallies. Defections. Re-election strategies. Town hall meetings to discuss tenure security.

“The life of every Nigerian matters. Politics must take the back seat when the nation bleeds. We must secure Nigeria first. Government exists primarily for the security and welfare of the people. Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution is not a suggestion. It is a mandate”, he said.

On the political front, the Minority Caucus criticised a recent Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five opposition political parties, describing the decision as a threat to democratic pluralism.

The lawmakers alleged that the ruling appeared designed to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections and accused unnamed political actors of attempting to manipulate democratic institutions for partisan advantage.

While commending the Court of Appeal for staying the execution of the judgment, the caucus urged the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to protect Nigeria’s democratic process.

The opposition lawmakers also lamented worsening economic conditions, citing rising hardship, insecurity and declining public confidence in government.

They accused the ruling party of focusing on defections, endorsements and re-election plans while many Nigerians grapple with hunger and insecurity.

As part of its demands, the caucus called for an immediate overhaul of the nation’s security architecture, improved welfare for security personnel, a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding General Abubakar’s death and urgent intervention by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to address conflicting court rulings on political party registration.

The lawmakers also urged the President to suspend all activities related to the 2027 elections and instead implement a six-month national security and economic recovery plan.

“President Bola Tinubu must suspend all 2027 political activities and declare a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan. Lead or leave,” Agbedi said.

The caucus pledged to continue using legislative mechanisms to hold the government accountable and insisted that the outcome of the 2027 elections should be determined by Nigerians rather than political influence or judicial decisions.