The Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo, has sparked controversy after telling residents who do not support the All Progressives Congress (APC) to leave the area council ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Shekwolo made the remarks in a video circulating on social media, where he declared that he would not tolerate political opposition to the APC or President Bola Tinubu’s expected re-election bid within the council.
The chairman said residents should support the ruling party because of what he described as developmental interventions by the Tinubu administration and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in Kuje.
According to him, residents who benefit from government projects should not subsequently vote against the APC during the 2027 elections.
“I have said in my area council that it’s either you are for the APC or you leave the area council. I am not arguing about it at all,” Shekwolo said.
He further questioned why residents would support opposition parties despite the projects and interventions he attributed to Tinubu and Wike.
“You know why? I cannot have the Minister and the President doing what they are doing, then on the day of the election, you will now say you want to match me. I will not agree,” he said.
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“It’s either you are with us or you are against us,” the chairman added.
Political Freedom Concerns
The remarks have generated debate on social media, with critics questioning whether the chairman’s position is compatible with democratic principles and the constitutional rights of residents to freely choose their political representatives.
Nigeria’s electoral system is based on multiparty competition, allowing eligible voters to support candidates and political parties of their choice.
One Facebook user, Morohunkeji Adegbite, questioned the implication of the chairman’s statement, asking: “So you mean there should not be opposition party in democracy?”
Another user, Nijim Bisi, described the remarks as a potential threat and called for the attention of the Department of State Services (DSS).
“This is a direct threat to lives. I hope DSS are seeing them now o,” Bisi wrote.
Banebo Ernest similarly asked: “The real question now is: Where is our DSS?”
Supporters Also Express Concern
Some reactions, however, focused less on the chairman’s political affiliation and more on the tone of his remarks.
Ishaku Suleiman, who identified Shekwolo as his neighbour and described him as a young and vibrant politician, said he was disappointed by the comments.
“He is my neighbour and I hold him very high as young vibrant politician that God has favoured, but hearing such statements is disappointing,” Suleiman wrote, while describing the chairman as a “cool gentle man” who was still in the process of learning.
Another commenter, Njoku Beck Uchenna, expressed concern that such rhetoric could contribute to heightened political tension ahead of the 2027 elections.
“They are gradually getting the masses ready. International community should be documenting it so that the aggressor will not be seen as the oppressed,” she wrote.
2027 Political Tensions
Shekwolo’s comments come as political parties and political actors intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The remarks have also highlighted the increasingly competitive political environment in the FCT, where local government officials and political groups are seeking to consolidate support ahead of the elections.
While politicians are entitled to campaign for their preferred candidates and parties, calls for residents to leave an area because of their political choices could fuel concerns about political intimidation and the protection of democratic participation.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the DSS, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the FCT Administration or the APC regarding the chairman’s remarks.