‘Suspend 2027 Election Activities, Tackle Insecurity’ – House Of Reps Minority Caucus Tells Tinubu

The House of Representatives Minority Caucus has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of neglecting governance to pursue activities connected to the 2027 elections.

Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly on Wednesday, the caucus leader, Fred Agbedi, accused the government of overseeing a dangerous cocktail of insecurity, economic hardship and what he described as attempts to weaken democratic opposition through the judiciary while neglecting pressing national issues that need attention.

Agbedi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the presidency of pursuing political calculations for 2027 rather than addressing the burning challenges of the country.

He therefore called on the government to immediately suspend all activities relating to the 2027 election and to announce a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan to address insecurity and economic challenges.

“Every Nigerian life matters. When the nation bleeds, politics must take the back seat. “We must secure Nigeria first,” Agbedi said.

The caucus was said to have demanded immediate overhaul of the nation’s security architecture, transparent investigation into the abduction and murder of former military spokesperson, General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), and urgent intervention by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to resolve conflicting judicial decisions as it relates to political party registration.

The Minority Caucus pledged to continue holding the government to account through legislative means, and insisted that opposition parties will not be cowed or shut out of the democratic process before the next general election.

It described Abubakar’s death as a national tragedy and a sign of the deteriorating security situation in the country, saying the retired military officer’s killing was evidence of the state’s failure to protect its citizens.

“That a general of the Nigerian Army, who at one time commanded troops and defended this nation, could be kidnapped with his wife and later pronounced dead under unclear circumstances is a grave indictment of a failed state,” Agbedi said.

Agbedi said: “President Bola Tinubu must evolve a clear and effective security strategy to tackle banditry, terrorism and kidnapping that continue to pose threats to lives and communities across the country.

The lawmakers also expressed concern about the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State and called for an urgent military operation to secure their release.

“School children and their teachers abducted in Oyo State are still in captivity even now. What was their crime? “Schooling in Nigeria,” said Agbedi.

In the political arena, the Minority Caucus has condemned the recent judgment of the Federal High Court directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to de-register five opposition political parties.

The lawmakers said the ruling could cause confusion in the political system and be seen as an effort to undermine opposition parties before the 2027 elections.

Agbedi said the judgment was in variance with an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and failed to take cognisance of the submissions made by INEC on the electoral performance of the parties concerned.

He said: “We see Justice Lifu’s judgment as a well-calculated attempt to elbow out legitimate opposition from the 2027 presidency contest.”

But the caucus welcomed the intervention of the Court of Appeal, which it said had put a hold on the implementation of the lower court’s decision.