Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
A frontline civil society leader and 2027 Accord Party senatorial candidate for Edo Central, Comrade Kennedy Iyere, has petitioned the Department of State Services to arrest and investigate the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Jarrett Tenebe, over remarks in which he allegedly threatened “AK-47 fire” against anyone who attempts to frustrate the party’s plan to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Iyere, who made the call in a petition to the State Director of the DSS in Edo State, described the remarks attributed to Tenebe as a development capable of threatening peace, political stability and national security. He urged the DSS to compel the APC chairman to publicly retract the alleged remarks across various media platforms. In the petition, Iyere said the matter should not be treated casually, warning that failure to address it could trigger youth-led protests and political agitations across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said the alleged remarks had already attracted widespread condemnation, adding that their potential consequences required immediate intervention by the security agency.
The controversy stems from a viral video in which Tenebe, while addressing an APC gathering in Edo State, was heard referring to different forms of “power” against those he said might stand in the way of the party’s vote target. “So anybody who refuses, who wants to stand in our way of not getting the 2.5 million votes we want to give to Mr President, AK-47 fire,” Tenebe said. In the same speech, he was heard referring to “General Purpose Machine Gun power” before declaring “AK-47 fire” against anyone who stood in the way of the party’s plan. The comments were reportedly made during a party mobilisation exercise and quickly circulated on social media, drawing condemnation from opposition parties, civil society organisations and human rights groups.
Iyere, who identified himself as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Youths Off The Street Initiative, said his concerns were informed by his involvement in youth mobilisation, civil society activities and national youth intervention programmes. He said Nigeria remains vulnerable to political instability because of widespread youth unemployment and poverty, which he said had left many young people frustrated and susceptible to political mobilisation. He claimed that some civil society organisations and opposition support groups had been planning a nationwide protest against President Tinubu and the APC under the banner of #TinubuMustGo. He said he had previously used his relationships with the leaders of the groups to discourage the planned protest, which he argued could have consequences for the 2027 elections and national security. He also said he had worked with the DSS in relation to his youth intervention activities, particularly the Youth Economic Intervention and De-Radicalisation Programme, which he described as a national youth economic intervention initiative.
The petition is not the first call for Tenebe to face investigation over the remarks. The African Democratic Congress called on the police and the DSS to probe the APC chairman, describing the comments as a threat to democratic stability. The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria also demanded his immediate invitation and investigation, saying the remarks constituted a direct threat to the lives of political opponents. The ruling party and its supporters, however, pushed back. A coalition of civil society organisations defended Tenebe, saying he preached faith, not violence, and that his reference to “AK-47 fire” was a spiritual metaphor rather than a literal threat. The coalition argued that the remark was part of a prayer session and should not be taken as an incitement to violence.
The Edo State Police Command invited Tenebe over the remarks, a development that was confirmed by police sources and reported by Daily Post. The invitation followed the ADC’s formal petition and the growing public outcry over the video. Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the ADC, reacted to the police invitation, describing the alleged actions of the APC chairman as condemnable. His media aide, Paul Ibe, said the incident reflected a broader pattern of political intolerance and intimidation ahead of the 2027 elections. The police have not disclosed the outcome of the invitation or whether Tenebe has been questioned.
The controversy comes amid heightened political tensions in Edo State, where the ADC has accused the APC of using state power and sponsored violence to suppress opposition activities. In October 2026, an ADC supporter, Jerry Oliha, was shot during an attack on the party’s campaign convoy in Igueben Local Government Area. The party alleged that political thugs loyal to the APC carried out the attack, an allegation the council chairman denied. The AK-47 remarks have added to the volatile political climate in the state, where the 2027 governorship election will be fiercely contested alongside the presidential poll.
The political context of the petition is significant. The 2027 general elections are scheduled for January 16, with the governorship and state assembly elections following on February 6. President Tinubu is seeking a second term on the APC platform, while Atiku Abubakar of the ADC and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress are among the major challengers. The National Peace Committee has recorded 60 election-related incidents within one month, including political violence, intimidation, threats and misinformation, and has warned political actors against inflammatory campaigns. The committee, led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Bishop Matthew Kukah, has directed parties, candidates and their supporters to immediately stop false, inflammatory or inciting communication and to uphold the commitments made under the National Peace Accord signed in August.
Iyere’s petition to the DSS has raised the stakes further. He called on the security agency to investigate the allegations and take appropriate steps in the interest of peace, stability and national security. He also appealed to the DSS to consider the alleged AK-47 remarks within the broader political and security environment in the country. He said he had raised concerns over alleged plans by the Edo State Government and the state APC leadership to arrest some leaders of opposition support groups ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that such actions could generate anger among young people and trigger protests and wider political agitation. He also called for an investigation into the attack on the ADC convoy in Igueben, describing it as part of the same pattern of political violence that has characterised the pre-election period in the state. The DSS has not issued a public statement on the petition, and the APC in Edo State has not responded to Iyere’s latest intervention. The coming weeks will determine whether the agency acts on the petition and whether the controversy over the AK-47 remarks subsides or becomes another flashpoint in the increasingly tense run-up to the 2027 elections.
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