The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD), a civil society organisation, has issued a strong call for caution in Abia State, warning that “escalating rhetoric” from Governor Alex Otti and House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu risks creating an environment of intimidation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
FENRAD, in a press statement, urged both political leaders to prioritize respectful public discourse and institutional safeguards to ensure a peaceful and fair election.
The group’s intervention follows two high-profile public statements that have raised political tensions in the state.
First, Governor Alex Otti, during a live session, delivered a stark warning to those intending to rig the 2027 gubernatorial election. He stated that anyone “planning to write election results” should “prepare their will,” a comment he framed as a caution against anti-democratic practices.
Second, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, addressing a large gathering of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Umuahia, declared that the APC will “take over Abia State in 2027.” While Mr. Kalu specified this would be achieved “through the people’s vote and not by force,” he also criticized the performance of Governor Otti’s administration.
FENRAD expressed concern that the language from “both sides of the political divide” could be misinterpreted and escalate anxieties.
“Rhetoric from both government and opposition must not intimidate or marginalize political opponents, civil society actors, the media, or ordinary citizens,” FENRAD stated. “Even if metaphorical, statements like ‘prepare your will’ or ‘we will take over’ can raise anxieties and polarize the electorate.”
The advocacy group emphasized that while criticizing government performance is a fundamental part of democracy, the focus must remain on “democratic competition, not domination.”
To de-escalate the situation, FENRAD issued several calls to action, The group urged the state government, opposition parties, and civic stakeholders to convene a “pre-election civic compact” to agree on rules of respectful conduct and non-intimidation, It called on the Governor to “engage critics constructively rather than threaten” and on the opposition to ensure its messaging emphasizes fair competition and FENRAD stressed the need for impartial electoral administration from INEC and neutral security agencies to monitor public discourse and enforce electoral laws.
The organisation announced its own plans to deploy observers to track political rallies and statements for “instances of potential coercion.”
It called on Abia-based media to actively fact-check high-profile statements from all political leaders to hold them accountable for their words.
“The people of Abia State deserve peaceful, inclusive and democratic elections, not heightening of tensions through inflammatory rhetoric,” the statement concluded. “We call on Governor Otti, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, all party leaders, security agencies and the electorate to choose dialogue over threats, accountability over intimidation.”
