PRESS STATEMENT

August 28, 2026

2027 Polls: GRACO Demands Decisive Action Against Threats, Hate Speech And Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence

With the start of political campaigns for the 2027 general elections, Grassroots Center for Rights & Civic Orientation (GRACO) calls on relevant law enforcement and state bodies to take decisive action to deter threats, hate speech, disinformation and technology facilitated gender-based violence. Since the commencement of campaigns for the January 16, 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections on August 19, GRACO has been closely observing the content and character of the political debates and conversations.

While there have been a few programmes and policy debates between the ruling and opposition parties in the first two weeks of the campaign, a major cause of worry is the resort to threats, hate speech and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (T-fGBV) by some politicians and their supporters as part of their mobilization strategies. Despite the signing of the National Peace Accord, some unscrupulous political actors have continued issuing verbal threats.  This upsurge in acerbic, destructive and intimidating forms of mobilization, if not effectively deterred, could undermine the participation of marginalized groups in the elections.

GRACO therefore unequivocally condemns the recent widely circulating threat issued by Mr. Samuel Shekwolo, Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who was captured in a verified video threatening that residents who are not willing to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should relocate from the Area Council. Earlier on, during the build up to the Osun State Governorship election, Senator Francis Fadahunsi at a campaign event called on APC supporters to kill any rival party supporter wherever they were seen. GRACO has equally observed instances of (T-fGBV) targeting women candidates contesting for political positions.

A specific example of T-fGBV is in Abia State, where Doris Ogala, the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) has been repeatedly targeted online with derogatory comments on account of her gender. Based on our monitoring data, GRACO observes that these incidents are not isolated; they constitute a pattern of systemic violations of extant laws and citizens democratic rights. It is also apparent that the objective of these threats and attacks is to supress voters and ultimately undermine the participation of marginalised groups in the electoral process. It is similarly apparent that the lack of decisive state action to hold accountable erring politicians and their supporters engaged in issuing these threats, has embolden more of the same.

GRACO therefore calls on the relevant law enforcement agencies and state bodies, including the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to step in and deter political actors issuing threats and engaging in hate speech. GRACO calls for the relevant agencies to invite, investigate and subsequently prosecute all those found culpable to deter reprisals and escalation. This call for action, deterrence and accountability is necessary to safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens as guaranteed by international, regional and national legal frameworks.

Article 21(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that: The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures. Also, Section 40 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as amended is clear that: Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests…”

Furthermore, Section 97(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 is very clear that: A party, candidate, aspirant, or person or group of persons shall not directly or indirectly threaten any person with the use of force or violence during any political campaign in order to compel that person or any other person to support or refrain from supporting a political party or candidate. Any politician that is found wanting has clear consequences to face as provided in Section 97(2), which states that: A political party, candidate, aspirant, person or group of persons that contravenes the provisions of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction — (a) in the case of a candidate, aspirant, or person or group of persons, to a maximum fine of ₦5,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months; and (b) in the case of a political party, to a fine of ₦10,000,000 in the first instance, and ₦2,000,000 for any subsequent offence. GRACO therefore calls on law enforcement agencies to invoke these provisions of the law to curb hate speech and TfGBV before, during and after the 2027 polls.

 

Signed:

 

Armsfree Ajanaku

Executive Director, GRACO