A political group, the People’s Assembly for Good Governance (PAGG), has condemned “AK-47 fire” comments by Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe.
The group described the remarks as reckless, inflammatory and completely unacceptable in a democratic society.
In a viral video circulating online, Tenebe, who was addressing an APC gathering in Edo State, was heard referring to “General Purpose Machine Gun power” and subsequently declaring “AK-47 fire” against anyone who stood in the way of the party’s plan to secure 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
National Chairman of PAGG, Dr Samson Isibor, in a statement, said the comments were disturbing, particularly coming from a senior official of Nigeria’s ruling political party at a time when political parties and their supporters should reassure Nigerians that the 2027 elections would be peaceful.
Isibor said electoral victories were won through persuasion, policies, programmes, credible candidates and the free choice of voters—not through references to assault rifles, machine guns or threats against political opponents.
He said no political party owned the votes of Nigerians.
According to him, “Every registered voter has the constitutional right to decide freely whom to support, and no party chairman, governor, political organisation or individual has the authority to intimidate citizens into voting for a particular candidate.
“The attempt to associate the delivery of a predetermined number of votes with threats of “AK-47 fire” is particularly troubling because political rhetoric from influential party officials can have consequences beyond the podium. Such statements can create fear among opposition supporters, intimidate ordinary citizens and contribute to an atmosphere in which political disagreements are treated as confrontations rather than legitimate democratic competition.
“We call on the leadership of the APC to publicly distance itself from the remarks and make its position clear on whether threats invoking firearms represent the party’s acceptable language for political mobilisation.
“PAGG equally urges Governor Monday Okpebholo and other senior APC leaders in Edo State to speak clearly on the matter. Silence in the face of such inflammatory language risks creating the impression that such conduct is tolerated within the party.”
