By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives Minority Caucus has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against focusing on the 2027 general elections at the expense of addressing Nigeria’s worsening security and economic challenges.
The warning was issued on Wednesday during a press briefing in Abuja, where the caucus expressed concern over what it described as growing insecurity, economic hardship, and attempts to weaken democratic opposition ahead of the next presidential election.
Speaking on behalf of the caucus, Minority Leader Hon. Fred Agbedi said the country was facing a “dangerous combination” of crises that required urgent government attention.
According to him, “Nigeria is facing a dangerous combination of worsening insecurity, economic hardship and attempts to undermine democratic opposition.”
Agbedi cited the recent death of retired General Rabe Abubakar in the custody of bandits as evidence of the deteriorating security situation across the country.
He described the incident as a national tragedy and noted that several senior military officers had also lost their lives in the fight against insurgency and other forms of criminality.
The Minority Leader further drew attention to the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, describing their plight as a stark reminder of the insecurity confronting ordinary Nigerians.
“As we speak, school children and their teachers abducted in Oyo State remain in captivity,” he said. “Their crime? Going to school in Nigeria.”
The caucus also condemned a recent Federal High Court judgment seeking the deregistration of some political parties, alleging that the move could undermine democratic participation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Agbedi specifically criticised the ruling delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, describing it as a calculated attempt to weaken legitimate opposition forces.
“We consider Justice Lifu’s judgment as a calculated attempt to muscle legitimate opposition out of the race for the 2027 presidency,” he stated.
The lawmakers warned against any action that could restrict political competition, stressing that democracy thrives when all legitimate political parties are allowed to operate freely and participate in the electoral process.
They argued that efforts to weaken opposition parties could damage public confidence in the credibility of future elections.
The caucus therefore urged President Tinubu to prioritise governance, security and economic recovery over political calculations for the next election cycle.
According to Agbedi, Nigerians expect decisive action to tackle rising cases of abduction, killings and economic hardship rather than early political campaigns.
He maintained that the protection of lives and property must remain the administration’s foremost responsibility, insisting that the country’s stability depends on effectively addressing its security challenges.
“The lives of our citizens, including security personnel and innocent schoolchildren, must take precedence over political strategy,” he said.
