The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned reported comments by the Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, threatening to “flog” citizens and break the fingers of political opponents who refuse to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.
The outrage follows a viral video recorded on Monday, August 31, 2026, during a campaign inauguration organized by the Tinubu City Boy Movement, a political support group advocating for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Addressing the crowd, Buba declared that while the ruling party was currently using political persuasion, it would not hesitate to deploy force against opposition critics, particularly those posting on social media platforms like TikTok.
”In politics, sometimes things go smoothly, sometimes it goes with persuasion, and sometimes it goes with force,” Buba was captured saying. “If they point fingers at us, we will point fingers at them; if they point fingers at us with malicious intent, then we will hold that finger and break it… As for those who refuse to follow us, they will be flogged.”
Reiterating its position on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, from the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, the ADC released a statement condemning the commissioner’s comments as an unconstitutional assault on Nigerian democracy and an explicit threat of state-sponsored political violence.
Speaking on behalf of the party, ADC National Publicity Secretary Chitteh Raphael criticized the ruling party’s conduct, warning that using official public roles to intimidate voters violates citizens’ constitutional freedom of association.
The party emphasized that if previous administrations had resorted to political threats and physical coercion, the APC itself would not have risen to power.
The incident adds to a growing pattern of inflammatory political rhetoric ahead of the 2027 polls, coming weeks after similar controversial statements made by the Chairman of the Kuje Area Council in the FCT, Samuel Shekwolo, who warned non-APC supporters to leave the council.
Civil society organizations, including ActionAid Nigeria and the International Press Centre (IPC), have joined the ADC in demanding an immediate investigation by law enforcement agencies, calling on security forces to call the commissioner to order to ensure a peaceful, issue-based electoral cycle.
