Big Tent Alerts Global Community to Escalating Threats to Nigeria’s Democratic Space

Utomi-led Coalition submits documented International Alert to UN, EU, US, and UK, calling for international monitoring to prevent intimidation, violence and the suppression of political competition

The Professor Pat Utomi-led Big Tent Coalition has formally alerted the international community to what it considers a disturbing and escalating pattern of political intimidation, violent rhetoric, obstruction of opposition activity and threats to democratic participation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election.

The coalition has submitted a comprehensive ‘International Alert on the Threat to Nigeria’s Democratic Space Ahead of 2027’ to the United Nations, European Union, United States Government and United Kingdom Government, calling for early, impartial and sustained international monitoring of Nigeria’s pre-election environment.

Director of Media and Communications of The Big Tent Coalition, Charles Odibo, quoted Professor Pat Utomi as stating that: “We are asking the international community to monitor, document and help deter conduct that could undermine the ability of Nigerians to freely choose their government.”

According to Utomi, the international community has a legitimate interest in ensuring that Nigerians are allowed to exercise their democratic rights without intimidation, violence or coercion, insisting that: “We will not wait any longer because Nigerians are being intimidated, beaten, shot or killed, and the world needs to pay attention”

Big Tent Coalition restated that the purpose of the International Alert is prevention so that they can document what is happening, engage Nigerian authorities early enough to prevent political intimidation from becoming political violence.

The coalition said the international community must not wait until election day before assessing whether Nigeria’s democratic environment is free, peaceful and competitive. “By the time violence erupts on election day, it may already be too late. The democratic space is either protected months before an election, or it is gradually strangled before voters ever reach the polling unit,” said Utomi.

The President’s ‘All is Fair in Politics’ Remark

The Big Tent Coalition stated that its concern intensified following remarks attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his July 28, 2026 meeting with the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, wherein the president was reported to have said: “All is fair in politics.” He was also reported to have said he would not give his opponents a “red carpet” and that the political parties would “wrestle each other to the finishing point”.

The Big Tent Coalition acknowledged that political competition will inevitably be robust and that political leaders are entitled to campaign vigorously for their parties. But the coalition stressed that vigorous political competition cannot become a licence for threats, intimidation, physical violence or the suppression of political opponents. The words of political leaders carry particular weight in a country where political tensions can quickly translate into violence.

Documented Warning Signs

The International Alert submitted by the coalition contains a series of documented incidents which, taken together, warrant serious international monitoring.

**1. Osun: Threat of Lethal Violence Against Opposition Supporters **

Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, was reported in August to have made remarks interpreted as threatening violence against supporters of an opposition party during the political contest ahead of the Osun governorship election. The viral footage prompted the Osun State Police Command to invite the senator for questioning. Though the senator weakly tried to walk back his threat, Big Tent Coalition’s position is straightforward – If political rhetoric can reasonably be interpreted as a threat of lethal violence, the appropriate response is investigation and clarification, not normalisation.

2. FCT: ‘Support APC or Leave’

The Coalition has also documented the widely reported remarks attributed to Samuel Shekwolo, Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, in which residents were reportedly told that: “It’s either you are doing APC or leave the area council.” The coalition considers such language particularly disturbing because political affiliation cannot legitimately become a condition for belonging to a Nigerian community. Every Nigerian has the right to support a political party, or no political party, without being threatened with exclusion.

**3. Ebonyi: ‘Deal with Opposition Parties Mercilessly’ **

The coalition has further documented reports concerning remarks attributed to Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru while addressing newly inaugurated local government chairmen. The governor was reported to have directed them to “deal with opposition parties mercilessly”.

The coalition noted that when public officials use language of this nature against political opponents, it creates an atmosphere that deserves scrutiny. Opposition parties are not enemies of the state. They are legitimate participants in a constitutional democracy.

4. Borno: Threats Against Non-APC Supporters

The coalition also drew international attention to reported remarks by Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, in which he was reported to have threatened physical punishment against people who refused to support the APC. No government official should threaten citizens with physical punishment because of their political preference.

5. Benue: When Political Obstruction Moves from Words to the Road

The coalition said it considers the recent incident involving NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Benue State particularly significant. On September 8, 2026, Mr Obi’s convoy was blocked by an unruly crowd while travelling from Makurdi towards Yelewata, where he intended to visit victims and families affected by the 2025 massacre. Reports and video footage showed a crowd blocking the route and preventing the convoy from proceeding. The Benue State Government has denied involvement. However, an important fact is independently documented. The NDC had notified the Benue State Police Command in writing on September 7, 2026, one day before the visit. The police acknowledged receiving the letter, and the Commissioner of Police subsequently confirmed that the command had been informed and that security personnel were deployed for the visit.

The question that therefore demands an answer is simple: How can a presidential candidate, whose visit had been communicated to the state police command and for whom police security was reportedly provided, nevertheless be physically prevented by a crowd from proceeding to a Nigerian community? That question must be answered through investigation, not political speculation.

**Prevention in Not Interference **

The Big Tent Coalition said it believes that international institutions have a legitimate role in monitoring human-rights conditions; observing elections; documenting violations; engaging governments; supporting democratic institutions; and helping prevent electoral violence.

According to Professor Utomi, “We believe that an election is free when citizens can reach polling booths without fear, and so, Nigeria’s 2027 elections must therefore be protected before election day, not merely observed on election day. The world has been alerted. The evidence has been documented. The institutions have been notified. Now the responsibility is collective – protect Nigeria’s democratic space and let Nigerians decide their future peacefully at the ballot box.”