The Executive Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Danjuma Samuel Shekwolo, has denied threatening to evict, disenfranchise or alienate residents who refuse to support the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Shekwolo, while addressing reporters, stakeholders and community leaders in Abuja on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, said comments he made during a meeting with local youths and APC loyalists had been taken out of context and sensationalised by news platforms and social media users.
He said reports surrounding the incident had created a distorted impression of his administration and its commitment to inclusive governance.
According to the chairman, the meeting was focused on administrative efficiency, grassroots development and the welfare of residents, insisting that he had no intention of using his office to discriminate against residents based on their political affiliations.
Shekwolo further stated that he lacked the authority to deprive any resident or citizen of Kuje Area Council of their fundamental human rights.
“At no point did I intend to cause disaffection, undermine any group, or promote policies that do not serve the best interest of our citizens,” Shekwolo said.
“Our doors remain open for constructive feedback, dialogue, and accurate reporting.”
The chairman reiterated that his administration was committed to equitable governance and would serve residents irrespective of their political affiliation, ethnicity or religion.
The controversy followed the circulation of a video showing Shekwolo addressing residents and youths on political participation ahead of the 2027 elections.
ChroniclesReporters was the first media platform to publish the video, bringing the chairman’s remarks to public attention and triggering wider discussion and reactions across social media and the political space.
In the video, Shekwolo was heard making a strong warning concerning political loyalty, saying:
“Is either you’re doing APC or leave the Area Council. I am not hiding it at all at all, with confidence, I am saying it.”
He further stated:
“You know why: I cannot have the Minister and the President doing for us what they’re doing, and on the day of the election you said you want to march/match me; I will not agree. It’s either you’re with us or you leave.”
The remarks sparked controversy, with critics questioning the implication of an elected local government chairman telling residents that they should leave the Area Council if they refused to support a particular political party.
The development has also raised broader questions about political freedom, citizens’ rights and the conduct expected of elected officials as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
At the centre of the controversy is the apparent tension between Shekwolo’s latest denial and the language captured in the video, which has continued to circulate widely.
While the chairman insists that his comments were misunderstood and that his administration has no policy of discriminating against residents based on political affiliation, the video has placed renewed scrutiny on his position and the political climate in Kuje.
Shekwolo has nevertheless maintained that the council remains open to constructive feedback, dialogue and accurate reporting, while pledging that his administration will continue to govern all residents fairly.
The controversy is likely to remain a subject of public debate as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly over whether grassroots leaders can separate partisan interests from their constitutional responsibilities to all residents.