Nigeria braces for possible election violence in 2027

Opinion pieces by Michael Owhoko warn that Nigeria's scheduled 2027 general elections could trigger widespread violence, leading to deaths and overwhelming hospitals across all six geopolitical zones.

The risk is tied to fierce competition among the ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress and Nigeria Democratic Congress. Past elections have shown similar patterns; Human Rights Watch recorded over 800 deaths and more than 65,000 displaced in the 2011 poll. Such violence could undermine democratic norms, political stability and public confidence in institutions.