Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The President General of the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, has sharply criticised the administration of President Donald Trump over its stated intention to closely monitor Nigeria's 2027 general elections, describing the move as a case of misplaced priorities while Nigerians continue to suffer from widespread insecurity, abductions, and killings. Igboayaka's remarks, made in Abuja on Monday, 6 July 2026, came in response to comments by United States Congressman Riley Moore, who said Washington would pay "very close attention" to how the polls are conducted. The OYC leader insisted that addressing the country's security crisis and securing the release of the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, should take precedence over election observation.
Igboayaka, who leads the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, said Nigerians have become weary of words without corresponding actions. He maintained that the rescue and survival of Christians in Nigeria may not be facilitated by international or diplomatic aid, but rather by internal efforts of indigenous Nigerians. "Riley Moore's pronouncement on close election monitoring in 2027 demonstrates a case of misplaced priorities as Nigerians are being eaten by leprosy while Donald Trump's administration is busy romancing ringworm," Igboayaka said. He further stated: "The United States administration under Donald Trump should prioritise the protection of lives and properties of Christians in Nigeria over monitoring the 2027 elections".
The OYC president's criticism follows an interview Congressman Riley Moore gave to Noire TV, which was published over the weekend. Moore, a Republican representing West Virginia's 2nd District, said the United States would closely observe the conduct and outcome of Nigeria's elections. "We're certainly going to be watching these results and how these elections unfold and how they're executed. That's something that myself and the administration are going to be paying very close attention to," Moore said. The congressman also disclosed that the US House of Representatives is considering an appropriations bill containing provisions relating to Nigeria, particularly on religious freedom and security assistance. He said the bill contains "pretty strong and aggressive language" that could shape future relations between Washington and Abuja.
Moore is a co-sponsor of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, introduced alongside Congressman Chris Smith in February. The proposed legislation would require the US Secretary of State to submit periodic reports to Congress on efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria. In April, the US House Appropriations Committee approved provisions in its annual State Department funding bill imposing tighter oversight on financial assistance to Nigeria. The bill proposes withholding 50 per cent of certain foreign assistance allocated to Nigeria until the US certifies that the Nigerian government is taking effective steps to curb religious violence and investigate attacks attributed to Fulani militia groups.
Igboayaka, however, argued that election monitoring should not be the immediate concern of the United States while killings, kidnappings, and insecurity continue to claim lives across Nigeria. He insisted that the release of Kanu and efforts to end insurgency and violent attacks across the country are more pressing issues than election observation. He further noted that the protection of Christians in Nigeria should become a priority for the Trump administration, alleging that Christians continue to face persecution, abductions, and killings in parts of the country. "In light of the significance of election monitoring for credible elections, the persistent killings, abductions, and kidnappings of Christians in their hundreds in Nigeria on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis should prompt the United States under Donald Trump's administration to reflect on the number of Christians that will remain alive in Northern and Western Nigeria before the 2027 general elections," he said.
The OYC leader also criticised the Trump administration's response to the security situation in Nigeria, saying that Washington has not done enough regarding the persecution of Christians, Kanu's imprisonment, and what he described as the targeting of pro-Biafra agitators. He claimed that comments by Moore failed to address what he considered the country's most pressing challenges. According to Igboayaka, the Trump administration needs to adopt a more concrete approach to resolving Nigeria's long-standing issues by strategising a viable plan for a referendum or plebiscite in Nigeria.
The criticism from the Ohanaeze Youth Council adds to a growing chorus of reactions to the US congressman's statement. Civil society groups and political observers have also weighed in, with some welcoming the international scrutiny while others, like Igboayaka, have questioned the timing and focus of Washington's interest. The OYC president's remarks underscore the deep frustration among many Nigerians over the government's inability to stem the tide of violence that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions across the country. For Igboayaka and the youth council he leads, the message to the Trump administration is clear: before worrying about how Nigeria conducts its elections, the United States should first concern itself with how to stop the killings and secure the release of political prisoners like Nnamdi Kanu.
As the debate over the 2027 elections and international involvement continues to unfold, Igboayaka's sharp critique serves as a reminder that for many Nigerians, the immediate threats of violence, displacement, and insecurity far outweigh concerns about electoral monitoring. The question of whether the United States should focus on elections or on the country's more pressing humanitarian and security crises is likely to remain a contentious issue as the 2027 polls draw nearer. For now, the Ohanaeze Youth Council has made its position unmistakably clear: the Trump administration's priorities are misplaced, and Nigeria's urgent needs demand a different kind of attention from Washington.
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