2027: Politicians Behind Rising Insecurity – Akpabio

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has alleged that the recent surge in insecurity across Nigeria is politically motivated and linked to the build-up to the 2027 general elections.

Akpabio made the claim on Tuesday while delivering a goodwill message at the inauguration of the Nigeria Revenue Service headquarters.

The Senate President suggested that certain political actors were sponsoring violent incidents to undermine the administration of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the polls.

“You’re seeing insecurity today, and it’s even increasing because the election is coming. As soon as election is over, for the first two weeks you will not hear a single bomb blast because people are sponsoring it to distract you, and they don’t know what else to do, and they say this man is too good in many areas,” he said.

Akpabio also pointed to what he described as increasing political support for the President, noting that more governors have aligned with Tinubu since the 2023 elections.

“He came in with 18 governors, and today he has almost 32 governors under his fold out of 36. So, where do we belong?” he queried.

The Senate President further addressed controversy surrounding an alleged X account linked to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, dismissing claims of bias.

“How do you win an election when you don’t have a structure? No political party is stable again in this country. Then they change and attack the people going to do the election.

“Then they brought out a tweet where the INEC chairman said, ‘Victory is sure,’ but he didn’t say victory is sure for APC or PDP. But the man said it’s manipulated and nobody wants to hear.

“For me, whether manipulated or not, he said victory is sure. He was not chairman of INEC then; he was just a lecturer, and anybody can support whoever he wishes to,” he added.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission has denied that its chairman owns or operates the said account.

Akpabio’s remarks come amid growing security concerns across the country following a series of violent incidents.

On Monday, President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of efforts to address the worsening situation.

In the North-East, a recent Nigerian Air Force airstrike reportedly led to civilian casualties alongside suspected insurgents, drawing criticism from rights groups.

The security situation was further compounded by the killing of a senior military officer, Brigadier General Oseni Braimah, in an attack on a military formation in Borno State on April 9, 2026.

In a separate incident, a colonel and several soldiers were also killed on Monday.

The deteriorating security environment has begun to attract international attention, with the United States Department of State authorising the voluntary evacuation of non-essential embassy staff from Abuja over safety concerns.

Observers say the combination of rising violence and political tension underscores the challenges facing the country as it approaches another election cycle.