Get Guardian on Google• AAC demands safety guarantees for opposition candidates, supporters
• ADC accuses Sokoto govt of sealing campaign office
• Party alleges hotels evicted delegates during campaign flag-off
• Opposition turns to town halls, street rallies, social media campaigns
• Parties cite attacks, arrests, intimidation across six Southern states
• Rivers ADC, ZLP vow to challenge APC despite alleged intimidation
Opposition political parties have raised concerns over growing restrictions on campaign activities, alleged intimidation and political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections, with theAfrican Action Congress (AAC) urging opposition forces to consider a collective boycott if the Federal Government and security agencies fail to guarantee their safety.
The concerns reflect a wider pattern of reported political violence, harassment, attacks on party members and restrictions on campaign activities across several states, including Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Sokoto.
While opposition parties are devising alternative strategies to reach voters, the ADC has cited its experience in Sokoto, where it accused the state government of frustrating its political activities through alleged restrictions on delegates’ accommodation and the sealing of one of its campaign offices.
Political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Allied Peoples Movement and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), resolved to confront the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) despite what they described as shrinking campaign spaces.
In a bid to overcome restrictions allegedly imposed by ruling parties, opposition groups are adopting alternative strategies, including town hall meetings, street processions and social media livestreams, to engage voters and communicate their political programmes.
The parties have also raised concerns over the high costs of political advertising and campaign publicity in some states, alleging that incumbent administrations are imposing prohibitive charges on campaign billboards, handbills and other communication materials.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), political parties seeking to display campaign billboards are reportedly expected to pay as much as N750 million to the administration, while similar charges apply in some states, including Abia, Anambra and Ebonyi.
The NDC presidential contender, Peter Obi, has also explored digital platforms to engage Nigerians, featuring in live sessions on TikTok programmes hosted by Emirsaddam and Peller, alongside visits to markets and engagements on X (formerly Twitter).
Obi has maintained that political leaders must engage directly with the electorate and present practical plans to address insecurity, economic instability and the rising cost of living.
AAC proposes collective boycott
THE AAC in Oyo State has called on opposition political parties and democratic forces across the country to consider a collective boycott of the 2027 general elections to press home their demand for equal access to voters.
In a statement signed by its Oyo State Chairman, Kayode Babayomi, the party said reports of political violence, intimidation, harassment and attacks on opposition activities in Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states pointed to an increasingly hostile political environment.
It argued that unless the Federal Government and security agencies guarantee the safety of candidates, party members and supporters, the boycott option should become inevitable.
The party expressed concern that the situation was emerging ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that the right to participate in an election would amount to little if candidates and their supporters could not campaign, organise meetings or mobilise voters without threats to their lives and property.
Babayomi said: “Elections should be a contest of ideas, policies and visions for the future, which our party has consistently advocated for. However, what we are currently witnessing is troubling and alarming. An election should not be a platform for political actors and their supporters to unleash violence, terrorise opponents and threaten the lives of citizens.
“Incidents of physical attacks, intimidation and threats to human lives and property during campaign activities raise serious concerns about the safety, credibility and integrity of the electoral process.”
The AAC cited developments in Ekiti State ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election, where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accusedGovernor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration of using security agencies and state machinery to intimidate opposition members.
The PDP’s deputy governorship candidate, Ayodeji Ogunsakin, had alleged that some party members were arrested, detained and harassed because of their political affiliations.
The party also alleged that unidentified men, reportedly operating under the guise of the Rapid Response Squad, invaded homes in Ikere-Ekiti in the early hours of June 7 and took away some residents said to be its members.
Although election observers subsequently described the June 20 exercise as generally peaceful, pre-election allegations and complaints by opposition candidates about intimidation raised questions about the political environment in which the contest was conducted.
The Social Democratic Party’s candidate, Peter Obafemi, also alleged that the election was characterised by intimidation and vote-buying.
Party cites violence in Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Ogun
THE AAC also pointed to developments in Osun State, where political tension and allegations of violence featured prominently in preparations for the August 15 governorship election.
Opposition parties and civil society organisations raised concerns about attacks on supporters, political clashes, intimidation and the safety of party members.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room expressed concern over reports of politically motivated clashes, attacks and intimidation, while Enough is Enough Nigeria cited data indicating that 44 election-related violent incidents were recorded in Osun between October 2025 and June 2026, resulting in 13 fatalities.
In Oyo State, the attack on supporters of the Accord Party’s governorship candidate, Oriyomi Hamzat, during a procession in the Molete area of Ibadan on October 14 also raised concerns.
The police confirmed the incident, saying the supporters had been ambushed during what was described as a peaceful procession. Some party members were injured, while vehicles in the convoy were vandalised.
Similarly, the PDP in Ogun State accused the ruling APC administration of harassment and intimidation following the alleged disruption of its Ogun East senatorial campaign flag-off in September.
The party claimed that its campaign venue was cancelled and its convoy attacked by suspected hoodlums at Ososa in Odogbolu Local Government Area.
In Lagos, the reported invasion of a political gathering organised by Labour Party members defecting to the ADC in Alimosho, as well as violence during the APC primary in Kosofe, where several people were reportedly injured, further illustrated the tensions surrounding political activities in the state.
Ondo State has also witnessed incidents of political violence. In February, suspected hoodlums invaded the APC secretariat in Akure during a stakeholders’ meeting, assaulting the party chairman, Ade Adetimehin, and other members.
The incident was followed by violence during the party’s ward congress in Idanre, where at least two people were reportedly killed.
The AAC said the developments, irrespective of the political parties involved, demonstrated the dangers of allowing violence and intimidation to become features of Nigeria’s electoral culture.
It also cited the recent incident involving its presidential candidate,Omoyele Sowore, which it described as an assassination attempt, insisting that it should not be dismissed as a mere political disagreement or altercation.
The party demanded an immediate investigation into the alleged attempt, urging security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible, including any sponsors, irrespective of their political affiliations.
It further called for a genuine commitment to protecting all Nigerians, warning that fear of violence could discourage voter participation and deepen public distrust in the electoral process.
“Therefore, we call on opposition parties and democratic forces across Nigeria to consider a collective boycott of the 2027 general elections if the government and relevant security institutions cannot guarantee the safety of political actors, their supporters and ordinary citizens.
“A meaningful democratic election cannot occur when opposition voices are silenced through violence and intimidation. Participation should never mean surrendering our lives to political violence,” the party added.
ADC, ZLP insist on challenging APC in Rivers
MEANWHILE, the ADC and ZLP in Rivers State have declared their resolve to challenge the ruling party in the 2027 general elections, insisting that alleged intimidation and campaign tactics by the ruling party would not deter them.
The parties said their campaigns would focus on addressing economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, rent increases and other challenges confronting Nigerians rather than engaging in political distractions.
The ADC Publicity Secretary, Chizzy Enyinnaya, said the party was concerned about the increasing economic burden on Nigerians, noting that the ruling party had yet to adequately address issues affecting the livelihood of ordinary citizens.
He said the party was developing practical measures to tackle economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity and the country’s persistent electricity challenges, arguing that unemployment remained a major driver of insecurity.
“Providing jobs and economic opportunities would help reduce crime and other social vices. The situation in Rivers State, particularly the challenges surrounding governance and employment, underscores the need for a new approach to economic development,” he said.
Enyinnaya expressed confidence that the party would not be discouraged by alleged attacks, arrests and detention of its members, recalling that similar challenges had confronted opposition parties in previous elections.
He said: “Rivers State was more or less a theatre of war during the last election, but that did not stop the opposition from moving forward. We are not disturbed by arrests, detention or other forms of intimidation. We are moving forward, God willing, we will emerge winners at the 2027 elections.”
The Rivers State ZLP Chairman, Ben Ogbogbula, also said the party remained undeterred by what he described as strong-arm tactics by the ruling party.
He said the ZLP’s campaign was centred on human welfare, capacity development and empowerment, rather than what he described as peripheral political issues.
Ogbogbula urged residents to support the party, saying its agenda was to improve living conditions and ensure that citizens could afford basic necessities, including food and decent accommodation.
On the rising cost of accommodation, he said the party’s governorship candidate had pledged to address the situation through measures to regulate rents and ensure that housing remained affordable.
He also identified insecurity, particularly in riverine communities, as a major concern, assuring that the party’s governorship candidate had made addressing the challenge a priority.
ADC alleges hotel restrictions, delegate evictions in Sokoto
THE ADC had in October accused the Sokoto State Government of allegedly directing hotels in the state capital to deny accommodation to its delegates expected to attend the party’s presidential campaign flag-off.
The party also alleged that some delegates who had already secured accommodation and were staying in hotels were being forcibly evicted following the purported directive.
The presidential campaign spokesperson, Dahiru Maishanu, condemned the alleged action, describing it as irresponsible and an abuse of executive power.
Maishanu said it was unacceptable for the state government to allegedly instruct both public and privately owned hotels to deny paying guests accommodation, adding that the eviction of customers who had already paid for their rooms was equally condemnable.
“This action smacks of executive rascality and unwarranted partisanship by the state government and its agents,” he said.
He alleged that hotels had been informing prospective guests since Monday that they were fully booked through Sunday, a development he claimed was intended to frustrate accommodation arrangements for delegates arriving from different parts of the country.
According to him, the reported restrictions extended beyond preventing new reservations, as some delegates who had already checked into hotels were also allegedly being asked to leave.
The spokesperson, however, insisted that the alleged intimidation and harassment would not deter party members and supporters from attending the campaign flag-off.
He assured Nigerians that the event would proceed as scheduled, with the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, its Sokoto State leader, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and other party leaders and members expected to attend.
Government seals ADC campaign office
THE political tension in Sokoto has continued, with the state government sealing one of the ADC’s offices in the state.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Nasiru Dantsoho, who announced the sealing of the building on Monday, said the action was taken to protect lives and property following a recent disturbance involving party supporters and some miscreants.
Dantsoho said the government reviewed available documents relating to the property and discovered that it was originally owned by the defunct Savannah Bank, with no official change of ownership reflected in the records.
He said the government had written to the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), which he described as the custodian of the property, seeking clarification on its current ownership but was yet to receive a response.
“Following a review of the certificate of occupancy and other relevant documents, we discovered that this property belongs to the Savannah Bank, and that ownership has not changed as of today.
“We have written to the NDIC, the custodian of this building, to clarify its present ownership, but we are yet to receive a response,” he said.
The commissioner said the government decided to seal the premises pending the NDIC’s response, stressing that the measure was necessary to prevent further disturbances and safeguard lives and property.
He appealed to anyone claiming ownership of the building to present relevant documents to the government for verification and proper documentation, after which the property could be released to its rightful owner.
Dantsoho, however, maintained that the property would remain under the control of the state government until the ownership issue was resolved.
He warned that anyone who attempted to forcefully gain access to the sealed premises would face appropriate legal action, including prosecution.
