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•Residents vow to resist him
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Residents of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have reacted angrily to a threat by the council chairman, Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo, that those unwilling to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections should leave the area.
The comment, contained in a video circulating on social media, has drawn condemnation from residents and opposition politicians, who described it as an infringement on their constitutional right to political association and freedom of choice.
In the video, Shekwolo argued that residents should support the ruling APC because of development projects executed in Kuje by the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.
He vowed to use his position to oppose attempts to work against the APC in the area council.
“I have said in my area council that it’s either you are for the APC or you leave the area council. I am not arguing about it at all,” he said.
But when Daily Sun visited Kuje, the chairman’s remarks had become a major subject of discussion among residents in markets, lock-up shops and along the streets, with many dismissing the threat and warning that it could deepen resentment against the ruling party. Some residents also pointed to Kuje’s history of support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), insisting that no elected official had the authority to determine where Nigerians should live on the basis of their political preferences.
Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kuje Area Council, Philip Waziri, told Daily Sun that although the party would issue an official response after studying the video, Shekwolo’s statement was inappropriate for an elected leader.
“For now, we don’t have an official statement on this matter. However, everyone knows that such a comment ought not to come from a leader. Ordinarily, everyone knows that the threat was very wrong and uncalled for. We are in a democracy where everyone has the right and freedom of association,” Waziri said.
He maintained that the Constitution guarantees Nigerians the freedom to belong to political parties of their choice. “We have many political parties in the country and the Constitution guarantees everyone the freedom to associate with any of the parties. I don’t know what actually came over him because he is not supposed to make such an utterance as a leader,” he added.
Another resident and member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), who requested anonymity because of his political involvement, dismissed the chairman’s threat as unenforceable.
“In the first place, does he have any right or authority to stop anybody from voting for the candidate of their choice? The funny thing is that he will even be in Rubochi, not in Kuje, on the day of the election.
Will he send machinery to monitor those who voted for whom?” he asked.
The resident said he would neither leave Kuje nor change his political preference because of the chairman’s warning.
“How can he tell those who will vote against the APC to pack out of Kuje as if the area council belongs to him? I won’t lose sleep over his threat. I don’t see any sense in that statement.
“Come to think of it, Kuje has never been an APC council. It has always been PDP. I am not going to be under any pressure or even feel threatened by the comment. As an elder, I want to advise him to refrain from making such inflammatory statements,” he said.
Another resident, who identified himself simply as Yakubu, described the statement as an affront to the rights of residents and warned that any attempt to enforce the threat would be resisted.
“For a council chairman to make such a statement shows that he lacks respect for fundamental human rights and does not understand the core values of democracy.
“If he insists on the threat, I can assure you that residents will definitely rise against it and make him understand that democracy is about the people, not an autocratic leader. I will definitely vote even if my vote will not count,” he said.
Residents who spoke with Daily Sun maintained that political differences could not be grounds for expelling anyone from the area council, insisting that they would exercise their voting rights in 2027 without intimidation.
