The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for failing to speak out against an alleged threat by the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Jarrett Tenebe, to use AK-47 rifles against opposition voters.
The party accused INEC of applying double standards in its response to threats ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the party, the commission should show the same concern for threats involving weapons as it does for inflammatory political statements.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said INEC was right to condemn the “rig and die” slogan but questioned why it had remained silent over the alleged threat attributed to Tenebe.
“Why has INEC found its voice to condemn ‘rig and die’ but remained conspicuously silent on the threat by an APC chairman to use AK-47 rifles against opposition voters? Is a slogan more dangerous than a gun?” the party asked.
The opposition party also demanded to know whether INEC had reported the alleged threat to security agencies for investigation.
It argued that if the commission was concerned about statements capable of encouraging electoral violence, it should be even more concerned about threats allegedly made against voters.
The ADC said it rejected electoral violence regardless of the political party or individual responsible.
The party insisted that INEC must demonstrate fairness in dealing with such incidents.
ADC faults INEC over silence on gun threat by Edo APC chairman