African Action Congress (AAC) in Oyo has urged opposition parties and democratic forces across Nigeria to consider a collective boycott of the 2027 general elections if the government and security agencies cannot guarantee safety for political actors and citizens.
The party said the escalating atmosphere of violence, intimidation and political thuggery surrounding campaign and electoral activities has made meaningful participation dangerous.
In a statement signed by its Oyo State Chairman, Kayode Babayomi, the AAC said elections should be a contest of ideas, policies and visions for the future, not a platform for political actors and their supporters to unleash violence, terrorise opponents and threaten lives.
He said incidents of physical attacks, intimidation and threats to lives and property during campaign activities raise serious concerns about the safety, credibility and integrity of the electoral process.
Babayomi specifically cited the recent attack on the party’s Presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, saying it must not be dismissed as a mere political disagreement or altercation.
He said a meaningful democratic election cannot occur when opposition voices are silenced through violence and intimidation.
‘Participation should never mean surrendering our lives to political violence,’ he said.
The AAC demanded that authorities immediately investigate the alleged assassination attempt on Sowore and identify and prosecute those responsible, as well as their sponsors, regardless of political affiliation.
He warned that democracy must not become a battlefield where the strongest political thugs dictate who can participate and who can survive.
‘What we are currently witnessing is troubling and alarming. An election should not be a platform for political actors and their supporters to unleash violence, terrorize opponents, and threaten the lives of citizens.
‘Every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, has the fundamental right to campaign, organize, express political opinions, and participate in the democratic process without the fear of being attacked or killed.
‘There must be a genuine commitment to protecting all Nigerians. Voter apathy should not result from the fear of violence.
‘The right to participate in an election must come with a guarantee of personal safety; without that guarantee, the credibility of the entire electoral process is questionable. We cannot legitimize a process that fails to ensure the safety of its participants.
‘Democracy must be protected, and human lives must take precedence over political ambitions,’ Babayomi added.