The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for an investigation into the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, over his reported “AK-47 fire” remark at a political gathering in the state.
The ADC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), which described the comment as concerning, urged the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to establish the context of the statement and determine whether it breached any law.
In a viral video, Tenebe was heard referring to “General Purpose Machine Gun power” before saying “AK-47 fire” against anyone who stood in the way of the APC’s plan to secure 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Edo State in 2027.
Reacting in a statement issued in Abuja by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC PCC said the remark could be interpreted as threatening or intimidating, and called for the appropriate authorities to review the video.
Ologbondiyan urged the Inspector-General of Police, DSS Director-General and INEC to invite Tenebe for questioning and determine whether the remarks amounted to a threat, incitement or any other offence.
The council also faulted the APC leadership and the presidency for failing, in its view, to publicly condemn the remark or call for its clarification or retraction.
Ologbondiyan said the 2027 election should be determined by voters through the ballot, rather than through intimidation, and appealed to international organisations, including the United Nations, European Union, African Union, ECOWAS and the United States, to monitor political developments ahead of the election.
The ADC PCC also raised a separate allegation concerning an incident in Gegu, Koton Karfi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The council alleged that some of its supporters were attacked during a political activity in the area and that ADC vehicles were damaged. The allegation was not presented as being connected to Tenebe’s remarks in Edo, and the report did not independently establish the circumstances surrounding the Kogi incident.
Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the ADC said it would not be deterred by the APC chairman’s comments, urging voters to use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to express their political choices in 2027.
Speaking at an enlarged senatorial meeting in Ewohimi, Esan South-East Local Government Area, where the party unveiled candidates for the state and National Assembly elections in Edo Central Senatorial District, the Edo ADC chairman, Tony Alile, urged residents to exercise their franchise without fear.
“Nobody can discourage or stop voters from coming out to exercise their franchise,” Alile said, while also calling for Tenebe to be questioned over the viral video.
He described the PVC as the party’s strongest response to what he characterised as intimidation.
“The weapon ADC has is 200 times bigger and smarter than the AK-47 the other man mentioned, and that weapon is called the PVC,” he said.
Alile urged party leaders at the ward and polling-unit levels to intensify grassroots mobilisation, saying that challenging the APC in 2027 would require sustained organisation.
Also speaking, former governorship aspirant and ADC stalwart, Kenneth Imasuagbon, expressed confidence in the opposition coalition and predicted that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would emerge as Nigeria’s next president in 2027.
Imasuagbon attributed what he described as growing public dissatisfaction to hardship, insecurity and inadequate infrastructure under the APC-led administration.
He also dismissed the APC’s projected 2.5 million votes for Tinubu in Edo, arguing that the final decision would rest with voters.
On the contest in Edo Central, Imasuagbon predicted that Governor Monday Okpebholo would face a strong challenge, alleging dissatisfaction with the APC administration in the district.
He further cautioned against any attempt to manipulate the 2027 elections, saying Nigerians should be prepared to defend their votes through lawful and democratic means.
