‘Control Your Supporters Now!’ – Sheikh Gumi Warns Politicians Ahead of 2027 Elections

ABUJA — Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has warned Nigerian political party leaders against allowing their supporters to unleash violence as preparations gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The cleric urged political leaders across party lines to take responsibility for the conduct of their followers, cautioning that uncontrolled political loyalists could trigger attacks, intimidation, vandalism and unnecessary unrest during electioneering activities.

Gumi delivered the warning in a statement shared on his official social media platform, where he stressed the need for political stakeholders to prioritise peaceful campaigns and democratic engagement.

According to the cleric, violence cannot guarantee electoral victory, warning that politicians who resort to force risk alienating voters rather than winning their support.

“Violence does not translate into votes; it only alienates voters and undermines democracy,” Gumi stated.

He emphasised the importance of political leaders exercising control over their supporters, particularly as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 polls.

The warning comes against the backdrop of concerns about political hostility, intimidation and confrontations among rival supporters during election periods in Nigeria.

Political campaigns have frequently witnessed accusations of attacks, destruction of campaign materials and clashes involving supporters of opposing parties.

Gumi’s intervention adds to growing calls for political leaders, security agencies, electoral authorities and other stakeholders to work towards peaceful political participation.

With the 2027 general elections approaching, the cleric’s message places emphasis on the responsibility of party leaders to discourage violence and ensure that political competition does not degenerate into confrontation.

The central message is clear: political ambition should never come at the expense of human lives, public safety and democratic stability.

‘Control Your Supporters Now!’ – Sheikh Gumi Warns Politicians Ahead of 2027 Elections

Peter Obi, NDC in Fresh Storm as Keyamo Gives Dickson 48 Hours Over Old National Anthem, Raises Secession Alarm

ABUJA, Nigeria — Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to former Bayelsa State Governor and National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, demanding clarification on whether the opposition party officially endorses the singing of Nigeria’s former national anthem.

Keyamo’s demand has intensified the political controversy surrounding the NDC following an incident at the party’s town hall meeting in Oregun, Lagos State, where some participants, including the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, were seen singing the former national anthem, Arise, O Compatriots.

The minister, in a statement posted on his X account on Saturday, November 14, argued that a national anthem represents a country’s history, values and sovereignty and is intended to unite its citizens.

He warned that deliberately adopting an alternative anthem in defiance of the one prescribed by law could amount to laying the foundation for secession.

According to Keyamo, the situation becomes more serious if the leadership of an organisation formally endorses such an action.

He wrote: “A national anthem is one of a country’s national symbols. It represents a country’s history, values and sovereignty. It is meant to unite citizens.

“When a group of people decide to defy it and sing something different from what others are singing as prescribed by law, that group is preparing grounds to break away from the country. It is one of the ingredients of secession.

“And once the leader of such a group endorses the action, it means the group is then officially a secessionist movement.”

Addressing Dickson directly, Keyamo described the former governor as his former classmate and friend, while challenging him to publicly state the NDC’s official position within 48 hours.

He said: “I am therefore officially calling on the original ‘Countryman’, my classmate, my friend and a man of considerable courage from our school days, Senator Seriake Dickson, the official leader of the NDC, to within 48 hours speak up as to whether the NDC officially endorses a proscribed anthem as its own national symbol. The world is waiting.”

The controversy erupted following Thursday’s NDC town hall meeting in Oregun, Lagos, where some attendees sang Arise, O Compatriots, which served as Nigeria’s national anthem between 1978 and 2024.

Obi was among those seen participating in the singing and making the two-finger gesture associated with the NDC.

However, the party’s Lagos State governorship candidate, Funso Doherty, subsequently offered an explanation, describing the singing as a spontaneous reaction by some participants during an emotional moment at the gathering.

Doherty maintained that Nigeria’s current national anthem, Nigeria, We Hail Thee, was also performed at the event, stressing that the country has only one officially recognised national anthem.

The development has reopened debate over the Federal Government’s decision to restore Nigeria’s original national anthem in May 2024.

President Bola Tinubu signed the National Anthem Bill into law on May 29, 2024, reinstating Nigeria, We Hail Thee, which was first adopted at independence in 1960, and replacing Arise, O Compatriots, which had been in use since 1978.

The restoration generated mixed reactions, with supporters describing it as a return to Nigeria’s historical identity, while critics questioned the government’s priorities amid economic hardship, insecurity and other national challenges.

Keyamo had earlier criticised Obi and other NDC members during an interview on Eagle 102.5 FM on Friday, accusing them of showing disrespect for national symbols, the law and the office of the President.

He also questioned whether individuals seeking to lead the country should participate in actions he considered disrespectful to established national institutions.

The minister further argued that the controversy could affect the NDC’s appeal among moderate voters.

However, in a notable admission during the interview, Keyamo acknowledged that he was unaware of any specific punishment prescribed by law for singing the former national anthem.

“There’s no penalty that is prescribed by law. No penalty. The law just says this is our new national anthem and then you should think we should all abide by it. It becomes a crime when there’s a penalty attached to it,” he said.

His statement has added another dimension to the controversy, particularly regarding the distinction between disobeying an officially adopted national symbol and committing an offence punishable under a specific law.

With the 48-hour deadline issued to Dickson, attention is now focused on whether the NDC leadership will formally respond to Keyamo’s demand and clarify whether the incident at its Lagos gathering represented the party’s official position or merely the spontaneous action of some supporters.

Peter Obi, NDC in Fresh Storm as Keyamo Gives Dickson 48 Hours Over Old National Anthem, Raises Secession Alarm

‘Nigeria Is Bleeding’: Ojudu Warns Political Violence Could Push Country Into Another Crisis

ABUJA — Former senator and presidential adviser, Babafemi Ojudu, has raised concerns over growing political violence, ethnic tensions and declining public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions, warning that the country risks sliding into another major political crisis ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ojudu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said recent attacks and disruptions involving political figures and campaign teams across different parts of the country were disturbing signs that required urgent intervention by political leaders, security agencies and other stakeholders.

In a statement titled A Dark Cloud Is Gathering Over Nigeria, the former presidential aide warned that the growing atmosphere of political hostility could undermine national unity and threaten the survival of democracy if left unchecked.

He cited reported attacks on the campaign teams of former presidential candidates Omoyele Sowore and Peter Obi in Ado-Ekiti and Calabar respectively, as well as an alleged attack on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) campaign convoy in Kebbi State, where equipment belonging to its media crew was reportedly destroyed.

Ojudu also expressed concern over incidents involving the ruling APC, including the reported disruption of its campaign activities in Lafia, Nasarawa State, where Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s convoy was allegedly obstructed.

He further referenced the burning of vehicles and destruction of political posters in Yankara, Katsina State, stressing that political violence should be condemned regardless of the party or individuals affected.

According to him, every Nigerian has the constitutional right to support or oppose any political party, while all political parties must be allowed to campaign freely without intimidation or attacks.

“A citizen has every right to call for a president to be voted out. Every party has an equal right to campaign peacefully. A democracy depends on our willingness to defend both rights at once,” he said.

Drawing lessons from Nigeria’s political history, Ojudu recalled the disputed 1965 Western Region election, which was followed by widespread violence before the collapse of the First Republic in January 1966.

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He also referenced the disputed 1983 general elections, which were followed by political violence and the eventual collapse of the Second Republic in December of that year.

The former senator warned that declining public confidence in democratic institutions and the inability of political actors to resolve disagreements peacefully could have far-reaching consequences for the country.

He also recalled the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, noting that the widespread support enjoyed by the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola across ethnic and regional lines demonstrated how credible elections could strengthen national unity.

Ojudu further expressed concern over a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja concerning the leadership of the ADC and the party’s presidential nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

He noted that the party had indicated its intention to challenge the judgment, insisting that any appeal should receive a fair, independent and timely hearing.

The APC chieftain urged presidential aspirants ahead of the 2027 elections to explain how they intend to restore public confidence in democratic institutions, promote national cohesion and protect the rights of Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliations.

He also said President Bola Tinubu had a special responsibility to ensure that government institutions remained impartial and provided equal protection for all political parties throughout the electoral process.

Ojudu called on labour unions, professional associations, traditional and religious leaders, student organisations, journalists and civil society groups to unite in demanding credible elections, press freedom and the protection of peaceful political activities.

He particularly urged political leaders to reject ethnic incitement, defend the rights of their opponents to campaign and commit themselves to accepting credible electoral outcomes.

“Our responsibility is to preserve a country in which we can lose an election and still belong, win an election and still answer to the law, and disagree with our neighbours without fearing one another,” he stated.

He warned that efforts to protect Nigeria’s unity and democratic institutions must begin before the 2027 elections, rather than waiting until electoral disputes and political tensions escalate.

‘Nigeria Is Bleeding’: Ojudu Warns Political Violence Could Push Country Into Another Crisis