•••Worshippers pelt presidential motorcade with stones, chant ‘Bamayi’ after Jumat prayers in Abuja
•••Thugs smash vehicles at Obi’s Ikeja rally; NDC loyalists shun current anthem for ‘Arise, O Compatriots’
Presidential hopeful Peter Obi and supporters of the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) openly rejected Nigeria’s reintroduced national anthem during a charged Lagos rally on Thursday, signaling an aggressive political posture ahead of the 2027 general elections in a state long considered the stronghold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Inside the Classic Event Centre in Oregun, Ikeja, Obi, flanked by his running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso and NDC Lagos governorship candidate Funsho Doherty, stood with hundreds of cheering loyalists as they shunned “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” in favor of the old national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots.” The symbolic act of defiance came amidst volatile scenes inside and outside the venue, underscoring the escalating rivalry between the NDC and the APC in President Bola Tinubu’s home state. Inside the town hall gathering itself, several NDC supporters were seen openly brandishing machetes and other dangerous weapons while chanting warnings of “you rig and die.”
Hours before Obi’s arrival, violent clashes had already broken out along Kudirat Abiola Way in Oregun when suspected thugs armed with cutlasses, axes, cudgels, and stones stormed the area, smashing roughly 10 vehicles, injuring several attendees, and seizing journalists’ equipment. Rather than backing down, NDC supporters mobilized to confront the assailants, sparking tense street battles with weapons visible during the fracas and chants of “Tinubu must go,” before police fired warning shots into the air to restore order. Party members also apprehended one suspected attacker, who later denied being politically sponsored, and handed him over to security operatives, while NDC officials faulted police and Department of State Services (DSS) personnel for a sluggish response.
The Lagos NDC chapter accused the ruling APC of sponsoring the assault to intimidate the opposition ahead of 2027, pointing to Obi’s narrow 2023 presidential victory over Tinubu in Lagos as the trigger for ruling-party anxiety. However, the Lagos APC swiftly dismissed the allegations as “reckless, baseless and irresponsible,” noting that its leaders and candidates were simultaneously holding a major rally in Epe. Both the Lagos APC and the APC Presidential Campaign Council called on security agencies to arrest those responsible for the violence, while the Lagos State Police Command and the House of Representatives initiated formal probes into the clash.
The confrontational posture of opposition loyalists extended beyond Nigeria’s borders on the same day. In London, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan was blocked and heckled outside Chatham House, where he was scheduled to speak on preparations for the 2027 polls. Video footage showed angry Nigerian diaspora demonstrators surrounding Amupitan’s vehicle and demanding his resignation. Political commentators and critics on social media linked the confrontation to networks aligned with the opposition, particularly the NDC, accusing them of orchestrating the harassment to intimidate the electoral umpire ahead of the elections.
Demonstrators at the London venue claimed their protest was motivated by alleged irregularities in INEC’s preliminary voter register, including claims of AI-generated entries, and controversies surrounding a disputed social media account formerly linked to Amupitan. Inside Chatham House, Amupitan dismissed the social media allegations as fabricated, acknowledged that technological glitches during the 2023 elections had dented public trust, and announced a nationwide mock presidential poll for November 28 to test INEC’s accreditation and electronic result transmission systems ahead of 2027.
Tensions escalated further on Friday in Abuja, where President Bola Tinubu’s convoy was pelted with stones by angry worshippers and passersby as he exited the Shehu Shagari Mosque in Area 1 following Jumat prayers. Witnesses and viral video footage captured sections of the crowd throwing objects at the motorcade while chanting “Bamayi” (meaning “we are not with you” or “we do not support you”).
Hours after the Abuja incident and amid the string of campaign clashes across the country, including the Oregun disruption and recent attacks on political convoys in Calabar, Gombe, and Sokoto, President Tinubu issued a stern warning to political parties and actors fomenting trouble. In a personally signed statement, the President condemned all forms of political thuggery and declared that violence has no place in the run-up to the 2027 general elections.
Urging politicians and supporters across party lines to focus on issue-based campaigns rather than hostility, Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to a free, fair, and peaceful electoral process.
He also reiterated a strict directive to security agencies to act decisively and firmly against anyone attempting to intimidate opponents, molest candidates, or disrupt public order anywhere in the country.
