Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe, has come under fire over comments in which he invoked ‘AK-47’ against opposition parties ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
In a viral video circulating on social media, Tenebe was seen speaking at one of the ongoing local government campaigns led by Governor Monday Okpebholo and the party leadership.
He threatened to deal with anyone who opposes the party’s plan to deliver 2.5 million votes to President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
According to him, the number of votes a state delivers to the Federal Government can influence its development, including the creation of more local government areas and states.
Tenebe claimed Governor Okpebholo had promised President Tinubu 2.5 million votes from Edo, a pledge which opposition figures and social media critics had dismissed as unrealistic.
He said the governor had previously proved critics wrong by mobilising over 2.1 million votes for the APC during the last local government elections in the state.
‘What we are trying to achieve now is the 2.5 million votes. Delivering the votes is crucial to securing more development opportunities for Edo State,’ he said.
‘The only person that can create a local government for us is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. If it is that alone, we will not sleep. We will work hard and make sure those votes are turned out,’ Tenebe added.
In the video, the APC chairman then offered what he called a ‘reversal prayer’ against those who would constitute an obstacle to achieving the target.
‘If you invoke Holy Ghost Fire it is heavier, but if you invoke General Purpose Machine Gun prayer it is lighter,’ he said.
‘So, as for anybody who refuses and wants to stand in our way, for us not to have those votes that we intend to give to Mr President – AK-47 fire. Thank you and God bless,’ he prayed.
However, critics have described Tenebe’s ‘AK-47 fire’ prayer as threats, voter intimidation, and potential incitement to electoral violence ahead of the 2027 elections.
For one, the Edo chapter of African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused Tenebe inciting election violence ahead of the election with his prayer.
Edo ADC spokesperson, Chris Ojeikere said this in a statement while alleging that similar remarks by Tenebe led to an attack on the the party’s secretariat.
Ojeikere added that the party would forward the video to appropriate authorities for action.
He also said Tenebe should to be held responsible for any resulting violence in the state.
Commentators on the X platform also called on the police and the Department of State Services, DSS to take action against Tenebe over the unusual prayer.