The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has accused the Federal Government of neglecting governance, failing to address worsening insecurity and allegedly using judicial processes to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a press conference at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Minority Leader Hon. Fred Agbedi said the country was grappling with a combination of insecurity, economic hardship, and what he described as deliberate attempts to undermine democratic opposition.
The caucus expressed concern over the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who was reportedly killed while in captivity after being abducted alongside his wife in Katsina State. The lawmakers described the incident as a national tragedy and a reflection of the country’s deteriorating security situation.
Agbedi said the killing of the retired military officer highlighted the government’s inability to guarantee the safety of citizens.
“That a general of the Nigerian Army, who once commanded troops and defended this nation, could be kidnapped alongside his wife and later declared dead under unclear circumstances is a grave indictment of a failed state,” he said.
The caucus noted that the incident followed the deaths of several senior military officers in the fight against insurgency and warned that insecurity had continued to spread across different parts of the country.
The lawmakers called on President Bola Tinubu to present a clear and effective strategy for tackling banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping, which they said remain major threats to lives and communities nationwide.
They also expressed concern over the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, urging security agencies to intensify efforts to secure their release.
“As we speak, school children and their teachers abducted in Oyo State remain in captivity. Their crime? Going to school in Nigeria,” Agbedi said.
According to the caucus, every hour the victims remain in captivity further endangers their lives and future, stressing the need for a coordinated rescue operation.
On the political front, the lawmakers criticised a recent Federal High Court judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five opposition political parties. They argued that the ruling could create uncertainty within the political system and be viewed as an attempt to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
Agbedi maintained that the judgment contradicted an existing Court of Appeal decision and disregarded submissions made by INEC regarding the electoral performance of the affected parties.
“We consider Justice Lifu’s judgment as a calculated attempt to muscle legitimate opposition out of the race for the 2027 presidency,” he said.
The caucus, however, welcomed the intervention of the Court of Appeal, which it said had halted the implementation of the lower court’s ruling.
The lawmakers further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency of focusing on political calculations for the next election cycle rather than addressing pressing national challenges, including insecurity, poverty, hunger, and declining public confidence in government.
“The life of every Nigerian matters. Politics must take the back seat when the nation bleeds. We must secure Nigeria first,” Agbedi stated.
Among its demands, the caucus called for a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s security architecture, a transparent investigation into the abduction and death of General Rabe Abubakar, and urgent intervention by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to address conflicting court decisions relating to political party registration.
The lawmakers also urged President Tinubu to suspend activities linked to the 2027 elections and instead implement a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan focused on tackling insecurity and economic hardship.
The Minority Caucus vowed to continue holding the government accountable through legislative means, insisting that opposition parties would not be intimidated or excluded from the democratic process ahead of the next general election.
