A former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has urged leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party to end ongoing litigations over the party’s disputed national convention and focus on organising a fresh one that complies with electoral guidelines.

Saraki made the appeal on Tuesday in a statement on Facebook signed by Head, Bukola Saraki Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, while reacting to the judgement of the Court of Appeal which upheld earlier rulings invalidating the PDP national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025.

The former Kwara State governor said the party must accept the verdict and move quickly to hold a new national convention in line with the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“My own position is that the Court of Appeal has ruled. However, with the revised timetable by INEC, it is obvious that there is no time to wait for the Supreme Court decision,” Saraki said.

He warned that continued litigation could jeopardise the chances of party members seeking to contest elections on the PDP platform in the 2027 general elections.

“If our motive is to see that we do not jeopardise the chances of our numerous members who want to contest elections on our platform, then this consideration should be the priority of all of us in the party,” he added.

Saraki said political parties exist to provide platforms for candidates seeking elective offices and should not allow internal disputes to undermine that purpose.

“One of the key essentials of a political party is to provide a platform for candidates seeking to serve the people by contesting elections. We should not defeat this purpose,” he said.

He also called on aggrieved leaders within the party to put aside personal interests and prioritise the collective future of the PDP.

“At this stage, egos have been bruised. However, leaders should rise above personal interests and serve the larger common good,” he said.

Saraki further stressed the need for dialogue and compromise among party stakeholders to organise an all-inclusive national convention that would produce a widely accepted leadership.

“The only viable option open to all of us is to sit down, discuss, and work towards holding an all-inclusive national convention at a time that will comply with INEC guidelines,” he said.

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the decisions of the Federal High Court invalidating the PDP national convention held in Ibadan between November 15 and 16, 2025.

In its judgement, the appellate court barred INEC from recognising the outcome of the convention, including the emergence of Taminu Turaki as the party’s national chairman.

Apart from electing a new National Working Committee, the convention had also suspended some allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over alleged anti-party activities.

Those suspended included the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and the National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature.

The dispute stemmed from multiple court cases filed by aggrieved party members who argued that the convention violated provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution.

Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that the party failed to comply with constitutional requirements before conducting the convention.

The court noted that no valid notice of the convention was served on INEC as required by law and that valid congresses were not held in more than 14 states before the convention was conducted.

The panel also dismissed appeals filed by Turaki and other members of the National Working Committee, affirming that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case.

The court further awarded N2m in costs against the appellants.

The judgement marked the first appellate ruling on the controversial convention after months of conflicting decisions from courts in Abuja and Ibadan.

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Ahead of today’s Appeal Court ruling on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, factions aligned with the party’s governors and those loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have expressed confidence that the judgment would favour them, insisting that legal precedents and statutory provisions support their positions.

The National Publicity Secretary of the National Working Committee, led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN) and backed by Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Ini Ememobong, confirmed that the Court of Appeal scheduled the consolidated cases involving the PDP for judgment on Monday.

Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of the caretaker committee led by Mohammed Abdulrahman (Acting National Chairman) and Samuel Anyanwu (Acting National Secretary) and backed by Wike, Jungudo Mohammed, confirmed that the leadership dispute within the PDP had been scheduled for judgment at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

Both factions, in separate interviews with our correspondent, expressed confidence that the judgment would be in their favour.

Governors of the PDP had earlier endorsed the Ibadan convention, which produced Turaki and other members of the NWC on November 15 for a four-year tenure.

The governors also supervised the transition of leadership from former acting chairman, Umar Damagum, to Turaki before Damagum’s tenure expired on December 9.

Meanwhile, a faction loyal to the FCT Minister constituted a 13-member caretaker committee on December 8, appointing Abdulrahman as acting national chairman and Anyanwu as acting national secretary, among others, with a 60-day mandate.

Efforts by both the Wike-aligned group and the governors’ camp to convene meetings at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, on November 18, 2025, turned chaotic, leading to disorder and physical altercations.

Following the incident, the Nigeria Police Force sealed the secretariat, which has since remained closed.

Both factions subsequently sought recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission, but the commission refused to acknowledge either group, resulting in prolonged legal battles.

One of the consolidated suits before the Appeal Court is suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, which produced a ruling that halted the party’s convention until it fully complies with provisions of its constitution, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Electoral Act (Nigeria).

The case was instituted by three aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party: Austin Nwachukwu (PDP Chairman, Imo State), Amah Abraham Nnanna (PDP Chairman, Abia State), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).

Another significant suit was filed by former Governor Sule Lamido (Adamawa). In that matter, Justice Peter Lifu issued an order restraining INEC from supervising, monitoring, or recognising any PDP convention that excluded the plaintiff as a contestant.

Three other cases, including one originating from the Oyo State High Court, are also challenging the legality of the party’s November 15–16 convention.

Another suit concerns the closure of the PDP National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza, listed as FHC/ABJ/CS/2520/2025, which was filed against the Nigeria Police Force.

On February 12, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria heard all the consolidated cases relating to the PDP leadership dispute and last week informed the parties that judgment would be delivered today, Monday.

The outcome of the cases currently before the Court of Appeal is pivotal and will determine the leadership of the party.

On their expectations regarding today’s judgment at the Court of Appeal, the Wike-aligned faction stated that precedents set by the Supreme Court of Nigeria support their position, expressing confidence that victory is assured.

The faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed, stated, “Yes, we are very optimistic in the sense that the provisions of the law, and the precedents already established by the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, give us strong confidence that the judgment will be in our favour.

“You cannot violate the Electoral Act, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the constitution of the party in conducting a convention.

“Not only were these violated, but there was also disobedience to existing court judgments. You cannot do that and expect it to stand, because what they did amounted to building something on nothing. So we are quite optimistic.

“As regards the insinuation they have been relying on that it is an internal party affair and that the courts do not have jurisdiction over such matters, the Supreme Court judgment recently delivered in respect of the case involving the now elected chairman of Bwari Area Council under the APC has already settled that issue.

“In that judgment, the Supreme Court clearly stated that the issue of internal party affairs is not absolute. There are certain actions which, if taken, fall outside the purview of internal party affairs of a party.

“So, based on that judgment and the precedents we already know, we are quite optimistic that this judgment will be in our favour by the grace of God.”

When asked about their next course of action if the judgment goes against them, Mohammed expressed confidence that the outcome would favour them, adding that their focus would be on immediately organising a proper national convention for the PDP.

He stated, “I am not looking at the possibility of the judgment going against us. By the grace of God, it will not go against us.

“We are not approaching this matter from a pessimistic perspective. Rather, we are focused on what our next steps will be once the judgment is delivered, which includes preparations for the national convention. So we are not pessimistic about it for even a second.”

In his response, the Turaki-led NWC spokesman said the leadership had confidence in the judiciary, expressing optimism that the judgment would reinforce democracy and strengthen the multi-party system in Nigeria.

Ememobong stated, “Our party is also expected to be in court tomorrow as the Appeal Court rules on matters affecting the leadership of the party.

“Our optimism lies in the fact that we submitted ourselves to the jurisdiction of the courts and we believe in the judiciary in its complete sense.

“When you look at the case, you will see that the law, as it is, especially the position of the Supreme Court, supports our matter.

“So we are hopeful that justice, according to law, will be done. At the end of the day, democracy must survive. The multi-party system must survive because that is more important.

“We are optimistic that the case before the court is meritorious and we are very hopeful that justice according to law will be done.”

When asked what their response would be if the judgment did not favour them, Ememobong stated that their next course of action would depend on the reasoning contained in the court’s decision.

He stated, “First, every judgment is based on reasoning. So you listen to the reasoning of the court. It is just like when the Supreme Court gave a judgment on the ‘unsure option.’

“Within that judgment, even the dissenting judgment laid the foundations upon which a political solution that was later arrived at is being implemented today.

“So you do not pre-empt the judgment. You listen to the reasoning of the court. Away from law school, it is the judge and the court that are called to interpret the law, because at the time some of these laws were made, certain situations being interpreted today were not in operation.

“So the court now becomes the institution that interprets the intention of the lawmakers. It is the reasoning of the law and the reasoning that grounds the judgment that we will listen to. Until you listen to that reasoning, you cannot honestly analyse or take a decision on the basis of a judgment.”

The PDP Governors Forum also expressed confidence in the judiciary and called on all party members to stay calm ahead of the judgment.

In a statement on Sunday, its Director General, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, reaffirmed that the party remained committed to offering Nigerians a strong, credible, and people-focused political alternative.

The statement read: “The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF), under the chairmanship of Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the Governor of Bauchi State, on behalf of the forum, wilfully addresses the party members and faithful as Nigeria awaits the ruling of the Appeal Court tomorrow, Monday, March 9, 2026, on the leadership crisis within the PDP.

“We stand at a defining moment for our democracy. The judiciary, as the custodian of justice, carries the weight of ensuring fairness, impartiality, and the preservation of national stability.

“Whatever the decision may be, the PDP reaffirms its respect for the judicial process and its commitment to peace.

“We call on all party members and leaders to show maximum restraint, calm, and be law-abiding before, during, and after the judgment, as leadership will meet immediately to review the judgment and chart the necessary post-judgment line of action,” the statement read.

The party described the judiciary as an impartial institution.

“The judiciary has always remained the only impartial and people-oriented arm of government whose tireless defence of the constitution has ensured the stability of our democratic governance,” the statement added.

It called on members with political aspirations to contest the 2027 general election to have faith in the party’s ability to provide the platform that would ensure their electoral victories.

“Notwithstanding the fact that INEC has already published the timetable for the general election, the party will ensure the protection and realisation of their political ambitions,” he said.

It added, “Looking ahead to the 2027 general election, the PDP remains resolute in its mission to provide Nigerians with a strong, credible, and people-centred alternative.

“No ruling can erase the will of Nigerians for a fair and competitive political system. We are prepared to participate fully in the democratic process, ensuring that the voices of the people are heard and respected.

Doherty seeks speedy judgment

Earlier, a governorship aspirant of the PDP in Lagos State, Funso Doherty, urged the President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria to expedite judgment in a pending appeal concerning the leadership of the party.

In a letter dated March 5, 2026, addressed to the head of the appellate court in Abuja, Doherty said a swift determination of the appeal would provide clarity for party members and electoral stakeholders ahead of the 2027 election cycle.

According to him, the outcome of the appeals could significantly shape the party’s internal processes ahead of its primaries and ultimately influence the credibility of candidates presented to the electorate.

He warned that uncertainty over the party’s leadership structure might complicate preparations for primaries and raise legal questions about the legitimacy of candidates fielded for the elections.

“The pendency or outcome of these appeals will significantly affect not just the internal preparations and processes leading to the PDP’s party primaries and related electoral activities but also the validity and legitimacy of the ballot options that will be presented to the Nigerian public on election day,” Doherty wrote.

The Lagos politician added that the implications could extend beyond the party itself, potentially affecting the validity of electoral outcomes for various offices if the leadership dispute remains unresolved before key electoral milestones.

Doherty referenced the timetable released by INEC, which schedules the commencement of party primaries for April 23, 2026.

He argued that a ruling from the appellate court before that date would help guide the party, electoral authorities, and other stakeholders.

“In view of the time-sensitive nature of election engagements and the need for clarity, I most respectfully crave the indulgence of Your Lordship towards swift determination of the consolidated appeal,” he stated.

He added that an early judgment would provide “invaluable direction” to all parties involved, particularly the electoral commission, which is responsible for supervising party primaries and accepting candidate nominations.

Doherty, however, acknowledged the court’s constitutional independence and discretion in scheduling and delivering judgments, stressing that his request was made with “the utmost respect” for the judiciary.

Fresh concerns have emerged over Nigeria’s political stability ahead of the 2027 general elections, as opposition parties and political stakeholders raise the alarm over a series of violent attacks on opposition leaders, party offices and political gatherings across the country.

Reports of violent incidents involving opposition leaders and their supporters have surfaced in several states in recent weeks, including Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Kogi, Edo and Rivers.

The African Democratic Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria People’s Party and Labour Party have strongly condemned the incidents, alleging that the attacks formed part of a deliberate attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress to intimidate opposition figures and weaken rival political parties before the next national polls.

However, the APC has dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless and insisting that internal crises within opposition parties were responsible for most of the violent episodes being reported.

The developments, which come barely months into the early political realignments ahead of the next election cycle, have sparked fears that Nigeria’s political climate could become increasingly volatile long before the formal campaign season begins.

Opposition leaders, however, vowed that the alleged intimidation would not deter them from mobilising their members or preparing for the 2027 elections.

Opposition raises alarm

The National Publicity Secretaries of the ADC and PDP, Bolaji Abdullahi and Ini Ememobong, accused President Bola Tinubu and the APC of deliberately targeting opposition leaders and party structures in what they described as an orchestrated attempt to manipulate the political environment ahead of the next general election.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Abdullahi alleged that the attacks were not isolated but part of a broader strategy to intimidate opposition parties.

He stated, “I mean, it is part of an intimidation strategy. What they are trying to do is to manipulate the political field.

“They have repeatedly maintained that what the ruling party wants is to manipulate the political space so that only the incumbent President will be standing in the 2027 election.

“They have managed to draw in many governors. What they are now doing is intimidation.

“The violence you are seeing is meant to intimidate our members so that they will not even be able to attend meetings or organise themselves.

“In the case of Edo and Rivers, for instance, they attacked Rivers’ office because the former governor, Rotimi Amaechi, was there to conduct his registration.

“They targeted Edo because the party leaders were holding a meeting there. These actions are clearly part of an intimidation strategy, and they cannot even deny it.”

Abdullahi revealed that the party was compiling records of the attacks and planned to escalate the matter to international bodies.

He said, “We are going to report all these incidents. We are compiling and documenting every case of assault and the damages.

“We will write to the African Union Court of Human Rights and the ECOWAS Court of Justice. We will also petition major embassies and high commissions in Nigeria to inform them about how the ruling APC is deliberately promoting violence as a political strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Their plan is to weaken the resolve of our members and discourage them from participating. But, we are not going to surrender. We are not going to give up. We will continue to encourage our members.

“Our members will not be discouraged because they understand what is going on and what they are fighting for.

“Nigerians know that the current situation has brought the country to its knees, and it cannot continue this way for another four years.”

PDP blames ‘presidential body language’

Similarly, PDP spokesman Ememobong alleged that the President’s body language had emboldened security agencies and political actors to target opposition leaders.

According to him, remarks credited to the President celebrating the disarray within the opposition could be interpreted as encouragement for actions aimed at weakening rival parties.

Ememobong stated, “Well, the state agencies operate clearly under the instructions of the executive. And if a President says in front of the National Assembly that he is happy when he sees the opposition crumble, it would therefore suggest that one of the key appraisal issues for state agencies is to ensure that they can decimate leaders of the opposition, because the easiest way for the opposition to crumble is for their leaders to be persecuted and harassed.

“And because it is ‘strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.’ So if a President says that on the floor of the National Assembly, then it is clearly giving a signal that people’s promotion may depend on the unwarranted efforts of state agencies that provoke attacks and persecution of opposition leaders.

“It may not be direct, and it may not be expressed, but it is obviously implied. But we advise the President and the leaders of the agencies to know that the country is bigger than the President and his party.

“More importantly, the survival of democracy is hinged on the survival of the opposition. The government’s survival is more dependent on the survival of the opposition than on the administration of the government.

“It is the presence of a virile opposition that signals a healthy democracy.”

He said the PDP had begun documenting the incidents and would present the evidence to the appropriate institutions.

He continued, “So it is the presence of a virile opposition, a healthy opposition, that is the defining factor and the check that shows that democracy is functional in a society.

“The attempt may be to see how they can delay our members and make them lose focus from working towards ensuring that the ruling party is defeated in 2027. But it will not work.

“We are taking note of everything that is happening, and we shall give the public and other relevant institutions the record for appropriate action.

“We are reaching out to our members. We are communicating with them, sharing strategies, and developing counter-strategies to ensure that our members are safe and secure.

“We have also set up legal teams. Unfortunately, some occurrences have shaken people’s faith in the judiciary, but nonetheless, we believe in the judiciary, and we want people to continue to believe in it because we must not, at any point, resort to self-help.

“So we are setting our strategies, providing legal counsel and legal teams, and reaching out to our people.”

NNPP Blames APC

The National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP, Ladipo Johnson, also blamed the rising tensions on what he described as inflammatory rhetoric from the ruling party.

Johnson said, “This is telling us that the rhetoric of the party at the centre is very bad. It is obvious that their boys on the streets still feel, much as they do, that despite all the hounding and claims of having 30 governors, victory is not assured for them in 2027. So, it’s a sad thing.

“We have seen how they have been going about attacking the opposition, including the ADC, when they want to do registration in a place. Yet, we have not heard anybody from the government call them out.

“When the shooting happened against Peter Obi and others in Edo, did anyone in the government condemn it or say this is bad or this must stop? We haven’t heard anything.

“The plan is very simple. They don’t want people to come out to vote. They know that if people come out to vote and parties have time to do proper registration in accordance with the Electoral Act, it won’t be so certain for them.

“So you can imagine that with their governors and other things people feel belong to them, they are still afraid.”

LP urges restraint

Reacting to the growing tensions, the acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, Nenadi Usman, urged political actors to exercise restraint in order to prevent further escalation of violence.

Speaking through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, Usman warned that the pattern of attacks was troubling and could undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.

She said, “We are urging restraint in this, because as it is now, even supporters of the current FCT minister, who is in the opposition, were reportedly attacked yesterday (Saturday). So, you can understand that the whole thing is looking like it is multifaceted.

“The one that happened in Edo was the ADC members who were attacked. In Amaechi’s hometown in Ubima, it was the ADC that was attacked, too. But you can see that the attack on the current FCT minister’s supporters has added a new twist to the drama.

“So, I think politicians should restrain themselves, honestly, because we need to have Nigeria first before we even have elections to contest and positions to occupy.

“But with the way we are going, I’m just wondering if there will be a smooth atmosphere for us to have this election coming in 2027. It’s very worrisome, and it is time for the law enforcement agencies to rise to the occasion.”

She also questioned the slow pace of arrests despite videos showing armed individuals during some of the attacks.

Usman said, “The people who are doing this thing are not spirits. They are Nigerians. You saw some video clips that surfaced showing some of these people carrying guns and shooting guns here and there.

“So, if ordinary individuals who are unarmed could film some of these things, I’m wondering why the security agents are not rising up to the occasion.

“But it is heartwarming to see some changes. I read some days back that the DSS arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting in Edo. At least some of those things could serve as a deterrent.”

Oyo violence deepens concerns

Political tensions also flared in Oyo State, where the Social Democratic Party cautioned the PDP against turning the state into a battleground after violence marred the party’s local government congress in Ibadan on Saturday.

The congress, organised by a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reportedly ended in chaos after suspected political thugs disrupted proceedings and destroyed vehicles.

The PDP in the state has been battling internal divisions between supporters of Wike and those loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde.

Reacting to the incident, the Oyo State Chairman of the SDP, Michael Okunlade, urged political actors to avoid actions that could destabilise the state.

He said, “We learned about the violence during the PDP congress via radio and social media yesterday (Saturday).

“As the 2027 elections draw near, we appeal to all political parties within the state to concentrate their campaigns on substantive issues.

“Furthermore, we caution the PDP against turning the state into a battleground in the run-up to the 2027 elections. The party should coordinate its activities in the best interest of residents.

“This also constitutes a call to the state police command to caution major political figures against misusing their influence for personal advantage and inciting chaos.

“We implore law enforcement authorities to monitor the activities of all political entities diligently, given that the 2027 elections are imminent, less than 12 months away.”

Edo attack

One of the most alarming incidents occurred in Edo State, where the ADC state chairman, Ken Odion, said the party’s secretariat had been attacked twice within a short period.

According to him, the attackers destroyed property, injured supporters and vandalised vehicles.

He said, “The first attempt was attempted arson as there was an attempt to burn down the secretariat. They came with fuel, destroyed the party flag and other paraphernalia and some windows were shattered.

“The second attempt was made when we had an event at the secretariat, and all the party supporters were there. It was difficult for them to destroy the secretariat, but they destroyed the canopies and chairs that were used for the event.

“The disc jockey was not lucky as he was beaten and his equipment destroyed. In all, three people were injured.”

He added that the attackers later targeted the residence of the party’s national leader, John Odigie-Oyegun, where vehicles were damaged.

Odion said, “The thugs then moved to the residence of our national leader, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, shortly after the attack on the secretariat.

“At Chief Oyegun’s house, four vehicles were shattered. No life was lost. They shot into the compound because they thought people were in those vehicles.”

Amaechi convoy attack

Political tensions were also reported in Rivers State, where gunmen reportedly attacked the ADC secretariat in Ubima, the hometown of former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi.

The building was allegedly set ablaze by gunmen who fired shots to scare residents before carrying out the attack.

An ally of Amaechi confirmed the incident and said the secretariat had been newly acquired by the party.

He said, “The secretariat was actually attacked and set ablaze by criminal elements in the community on Thursday night. It was the following day (Friday) that his (Amaechi’s) convoy was attacked around Omuanwa community, also in Ikwerre LGA, on his way to Ubima for party registration.”

The ally added that vigilante members had intercepted Amaechi’s convoy, raising questions about the motive behind the action.

IPAC warns

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council in Rivers State warned that political violence could escalate if security agencies failed to act decisively.

The Secretary of IPAC in the state, Benjamin Ogbogbula, called on the police to arrest those responsible for the attack.

He said, “This act of attacking political parties’ offices is uncalled for in a democratic setting. This ought not to happen.

“So the police should investigate the incident and apprehend those involved in that dastardly act and ensure they are brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

“What they are doing is to see that opposition parties do not have a presence in the state as 2027 is coming. It is a heinous act, and the perpetrators must be identified and brought to book.”

APC denies involvement

The APC has rejected allegations linking it to the attacks.

The Edo State Publicity Secretary of the party, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, insisted that the opposition should not blame the ruling party without evidence.

He said, “An arrest has been made already. The person arrested, does he not have an identity? Did the police not interrogate him? Did he say he is a member of the APC? Did he say the APC commissioned him to attack the ADC secretariat? If he did not confess to being a member of the APC, how can anyone ascribe his action to the APC?

“It is a criminal matter, and everyone must own up to their actions, and there is no vicarious liability in criminal law. If you commit an offence, you go in for it.”

Similarly, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in an earlier statement, dismissed accusations against the ruling party and blamed the incidents on internal conflicts within opposition parties.

He stated, “Accusing the APC even before any investigation is carried out by law enforcement is particularly senseless, and shows the ADC as a party that lacks focus and without regard for the due process of law.

“Make no mistake, violence of any kind in our political space is unacceptable and must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.”

Political analysts say the spate of attacks reflects the growing tension ahead of the 2027 general elections, which many believe could become one of the most competitive political contests in Nigeria’s recent history.

While opposition parties accuse the ruling party of intimidation, the APC insists that its rivals are exploiting isolated incidents to score political points.

The incidents have, however, heightened concerns among stakeholders about the need for security agencies to ensure a peaceful political environment as preparations for the next election cycle gradually gather momentum.

Many observers warn that if the current trend continues unchecked, it could further inflame political tensions and undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.