Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the Chairman of the Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Danjuma Shekwolo, for telling residents they must vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) or leave the area. In a statement released on August 25, 2026, the human rights organisation described his comments as a call to violence and a direct attack on the freedom of association and liberty of persons.
Chairman's Threat to Residents
Speaking at a meeting with loyalists, Shekwolo, a member of the APC, boasted that he had informed residents in his area council to be prepared to vacate the area if they refuse to vote for the party. "I have said in my area council, it's either you're doing APC or leave the area council," he said. "I cannot have the President and the Minister doing what they are doing for us and they are doing then on the day of the election, you want to say you want to match me, I will not agree," he boasted to the cheering group.
Amnesty International's Condemnation
Reacting to the statement, Amnesty International Nigeria described Shekwolo as a danger to society and called on the authorities to hold him accountable. In a post on X, the organisation said: "Amnesty International strongly condemns the chairman Kuje Area Council FCT Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo for threatening to chase out from the area anybody who will not join or vote for APC. Authoritatively saying that those who will not vote APC must leave Kuje area council is a call to violence and direct attack on freedom of association and liberty of persons. No one has the right to make living in a place in Nigeria tied to joining or voting for one political party. The police and other security agencies must immediately halt this plan to use violence on people for their political choices. The chairman Kuje Area Council FCT Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo is a danger to society and must be held to account for threatening violence on those who may not vote for APC. This plan to unleash violence on those who are not supporting APC in Kuje area council will have wider impact and will put lives at risk. People’s right to political choices must be respected and upheld."
Online Reactions and Wider Context
Shekwolo's statement has also sparked reactions online, with observers tagging it a threat against the electorate's right to exercise their franchise for the party and candidate of their choice. The statement continues a trend of threats of violence against Nigerians by politicians. The most recent example was the words of Osun State Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who, while addressing APC supporters in Ilesa ahead of the just-concluded Osun State election, encouraged them to beat up and kill the members of the Accord Party.
Similarly, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, boasted that he would have been involved and would have won the election for the APC had President Tinubu considered the Osun State elections a must-win, and there was nothing the incumbent Ademola Adeleke could have done about it. Governor Ademola Adeleke secured 511,067 votes and defeated his opponent across 19 local government areas to win a second term in office.
Campaigns Ahead of 2027 Elections
Campaigns for the presidency and national assembly positions have started ahead of the 2027 general elections. The APC recently released a Presidential campaign list, which sparked criticism for the inclusion of public servants, including the Director General of the National Identity Management Council, who was appointed the DG for the Data Management of the Tinubu campaign. The criticism has prompted the APC to recall the list for further review. The leading opposition parties, the African Democratic Congress and the Nigerian Democratic Congress, are also expected to announce their campaign council in the coming weeks.
