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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has warned political actors against inciting violence ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that no Nigerian deserves to lose his or her life because of political ambition.
Bamidele in an Eid-el-Kabir message issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, called on Nigerians to embrace national unity, peaceful coexistence and collective responsibility as the country enters another election season.
He said the nation could no longer afford the human cost of electoral violence, citing figures from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data which showed that 1,639 lives were lost to election-related violence between 1999 and 2023.
“No Nigerian, whether old or young, deserves to die again because some people are seeking political offices by all means, whether justified or unjustified.”
He urged political parties, candidates and supporters to conduct themselves within the confines of the law before, during and after the 2027 elections scheduled for January 16 and February 6, 2027.
“Regardless of our political parties, we must go into the campaign, indeed 2027 elections, with a definite resolve that Nigeria is our collective heritage and that no life will be lost as a result,” he said.
Bamidele noted that Nigeria’s history of electoral violence remained a painful stain on the country’s democratic journey, recalling that 80 lives were lost during the 1999 elections, 100 in 2003, 300 in 2007, 800 in 2011, 100 in 2015, 150 in 2019 and 109 in 2023.
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He said the recurring bloodshed linked to elections must come to an end in the interest of national stability and democratic growth.
The Senate leader also used the Eid-el-Kabir celebration to call for prayers for children, parents and teachers still being held by kidnappers and bandits across the country, particularly the 87 victims recently abducted in Borno and Oyo states.
Describing kidnapping as a crime against humanity, Bamidele said holding children in captivity violated the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children.
“We must remember all our children and parents that are still held in the captivity of rogue elements in different parts of the federation,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that security agencies were working towards securing the release of the victims, while the National Assembly remained committed to strengthening laws and systems that would guarantee the safety of lives and property across the country.
Bamidele further pledged legislative support for tougher sanctions against kidnappers and their collaborators, saying the National Assembly was determined to evolve a system that would impose maximum consequences on perpetrators of the crime.
He also urged Nigerians to draw lessons from the virtues of faith, sacrifice and obedience exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim, stressing that the Eid-el-Kabir celebration should inspire citizens to work towards national peace and prosperity.
