The House of Representatives minority caucus has accused President Bola Tinubu's government of putting the 2027 elections ahead of tackling insecurity and defending democracy.

At a press conference at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Minority Leader Hon. Fred Agbedi said the country's facing a dangerous mix of economic hardship, rising violence, and what he called attempts to weaken opposition parties through the courts.

"The life of every Nigerian matters. Politics must take the back seat when the nation bleeds. We must secure Nigeria first," Agbedi said.

The caucus pointed to the killing of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar while in captivity. He was abducted alongside his wife in Katsina State. The lawmakers described it as a national tragedy and evidence that the state can't protect its citizens.

"That a general of the Nigerian Army, who once commanded troops and defended this nation, could be kidnapped alongside his wife and later declared dead under unclear circumstances is a grave indictment of a failed state," Agbedi said.

The lawmakers also expressed concern over schoolchildren and teachers still held captive after an abduction in Oyo State. They called for an urgent military operation to secure their release.

"Their crime? Going to school in Nigeria," Agbedi said.

On the political front, the caucus criticised a recent Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five opposition political parties. The lawmakers alleged the ruling could create confusion and weaken opposition ahead of 2027.

Agbedi argued that the judgment by Justice Lifu contradicted an existing Court of Appeal decision and ignored INEC's submissions on the electoral performance of the affected parties.

"We consider Justice Lifu's judgment as a calculated attempt to muscle legitimate opposition out of the race for the 2027 presidency," he said.

The caucus welcomed the Court of Appeal's intervention, which halted the implementation of the lower court's decision.

The lawmakers accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency of focusing on political calculations instead of addressing pressing challenges like insecurity, economic hardship, hunger, and declining public confidence in governance.

The caucus made several demands:

  • An immediate overhaul of the nation's security architecture.
  • A transparent investigation into the abduction and murder of General Rabe Abubakar.
  • Urgent intervention by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to resolve conflicting judicial decisions on political party registration.
  • A suspension of all activities linked to the 2027 elections and implementation of a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan.

The minority caucus vowed to continue holding the government accountable through legislative means and insisted that opposition parties wouldn't be intimidated or excluded from the democratic process ahead of the next general election.