2027 Elections: Rising Political Thuggery Sparks Fear, Evokes First and Second Republic Violence

With the 2027 general elections drawing closer, political violence is increasingly becoming a source of concern as suspected thugs disrupt meetings, attack political supporters and intimidate opponents in different parts of the country.

The developments have revived memories of Nigeria’s turbulent political history, particularly the First and Second Republics, when electoral violence, intimidation and political instability contributed to crises that eventually ended both democratic periods.

From Kaduna and Lagos to Ondo, Cross River, Rivers, Ebonyi, Osun, the FCT, Enugu and Kogi, the source documents several incidents involving alleged political thuggery between 2025 and September 2026. These include attacks on rallies and party meetings, destruction of campaign materials, injuries to participants and disruption of political gatherings.

The report also highlights a series of controversial remarks and threats by political figures and officials in different states, including warnings directed at those who refuse to support particular political parties.

The renewed tension has prompted warnings from lawyers, political analysts, civil society actors and religious leaders that unchecked violence could threaten democratic participation.

Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia Diocese, Most Rev. Chibuzor Opoko, warned politicians against pushing Nigerians “to the wall.”

He said: “The people keeping silent is like the silence of a graveyard, and that silence of a graveyard is a gunpowder waiting to explode.”

Comrade Austin Ozobo, President of the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, said: “Political thuggery remains one of the most serious threats to electoral credibility in Nigeria.”

He added that “the violence and intimidation associated with party thugs contributed to the collapse of the First Republic, and seriously destabilized the Second Republic.”

Chief Sheriff Mulade of the National Democratic Party similarly warned that unchecked political violence could threaten Nigeria’s democracy, recalling the violence surrounding the 1964 and 1965 elections and the turmoil that followed the 1983 elections.

Legal practitioner Francis Avbenagha argued that political thuggery represents “a frontal assault on Nigeria’s constitutional order,” while stressing that existing electoral laws require effective enforcement.

The Director General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Joseph Ochogwu, said efforts were already being made to strengthen electoral violence prevention ahead of 2027.

“We’ll be activating our national conflict telephony system to begin to do incident reporting that is targeted at issues around electoral and political violence,” he said.

Ochogwu added: “With 2027 still ahead, political parties, security agencies, civil society and citizens have time to prevent threats from turning into violence.”

The growing concern, stakeholders said, is that political competition could become increasingly shaped by intimidation rather than peaceful campaigning and persuasion if early preventive measures are not taken.

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