House of Reps Minority Caucus Urges Tinubu to Suspend 2027 Election Plans and Tackle Insecurity
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of abandoning governance to concentrate on political calculations for the 2027 elections, while insecurity and economic hardship continue to worsen across the country.
Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly on Wednesday, caucus leader Fred Agbedi said the government is overseeing a dangerous mix of insecurity, economic distress and attempts to weaken democratic opposition through the judiciary, neglecting pressing national issues that demand immediate attention.
Agbedi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency of focusing on 2027 political strategies instead of addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges. He therefore called on the government to immediately suspend all activities linked to the 2027 election and declare a six‑month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan aimed at tackling insecurity and economic difficulties.
“The life of every Nigerian matters. Politics must take the back seat when the nation bleeds. We must secure Nigeria first,” Agbedi declared.
The caucus vowed to continue holding the government accountable through legislative means, insisting that opposition parties will not be intimidated or excluded from the democratic process ahead of the next general election.
It described the death of retired military officer Abubakar as a national tragedy and evidence of the country’s deteriorating security situation, arguing that the kidnapping and subsequent death of a former army general underscores the state’s inability to protect its citizens.
According to Agbedi, President Tinubu must provide a clear and effective security strategy to confront banditry, terrorism and kidnapping, which continue to threaten lives and communities nationwide.
The lawmakers also expressed concern over the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, calling for an urgent military operation to secure their release.
“As we speak, school children and their teachers abducted in Oyo State remain in captivity. Their crime? Going to school in Nigeria,” Agbedi stated.
On the political front, the Minority Caucus criticised a recent Federal High Court judgment which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five opposition political parties, alleging the ruling could be interpreted as an attempt to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
Agbedi argued that the judgment contradicts an existing Court of Appeal decision and ignored submissions by INEC regarding the electoral performance of the affected parties, describing it as a calculated attempt to muscle legitimate opposition out of the race for the 2027 presidency.
The caucus, however, welcomed the intervention of the Court of Appeal, which it said had halted the implementation of the lower court’s decision.
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