The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has accused the Federal Government of shifting focus away from pressing national challenges, alleging that greater attention is being placed on political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday at the National Assembly, Minority Leader Hon. Fred Agbedi said Nigeria was facing deepening insecurity, worsening economic conditions and what he described as attempts to weaken opposition parties through court actions and political interference.
The lawmakers condemned the killing of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who reportedly died while in captivity after being abducted alongside his wife in Katsina State, describing the incident as a devastating indictment of the country’s security system.
Agbedi said the tragedy highlighted the inability of authorities to guarantee safety, even for retired senior military officers, and reflected a broader national security crisis.
He also referenced the continued wave of abductions across the country, including schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped in Oyo State who remain in captivity, calling the situation unacceptable.
“As we speak, schoolchildren and their teachers abducted in Oyo State are still being held hostage. Their only offence was going to school,” he said, urging urgent action to secure their release.
The caucus called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently overhaul the nation’s security framework, arguing that banditry, terrorism and kidnapping had reached alarming levels across several regions.
On the political front, the lawmakers criticised a recent Federal High Court ruling ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five opposition parties, warning that the decision could destabilise Nigeria’s democratic process.
They claimed the judgment conflicted with an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal and suggested it could be interpreted as part of a broader effort to weaken opposition participation ahead of the next elections.
Agbedi described the ruling as “deeply concerning,” alleging it amounted to an attempt to limit legitimate political competition.
However, the caucus welcomed the Court of Appeal’s intervention, which temporarily halted enforcement of the judgment, describing it as a stabilising development for the political system.
The lawmakers further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency of prioritising election-related strategies over urgent governance issues such as insecurity, unemployment and economic hardship.
They warned that Nigeria was at risk of further deterioration if immediate steps were not taken to address the country’s challenges.
“The life of every Nigerian matters. Governance must come before politics,” Agbedi said.
Among their key demands, the Minority Caucus called for a comprehensive reform of the security architecture, an independent investigation into the abduction and killing of General Rabe Abubakar, and a judicial resolution to conflicting court rulings affecting political party deregistration.
They also urged the Federal Government to suspend political preparations for the 2027 elections and instead implement a six-month emergency plan focused on security and economic recovery.
The caucus pledged to continue using legislative oversight to hold the government accountable, insisting that opposition voices would not be silenced in the democratic process.
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