•Why we may move against them — Intersociety

By BONIFACE AKARAH

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety) has threatened to use its international contacts and networks to push for travel restrictions against six Nigerian governors if they continue what the group described as political intolerance, electoral militancy and attempts to frustrate opposition activities ahead of the 2027 elections.

The organisation made the threat in a special statement issued from Enugu on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Head of Intersociety Nigeria; Chidinma Evangeline Udegbunam, Head, Department of Campaign and Publicity; and Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Head, Department of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law.

The governors named by InterSociety are Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Charles Soludo of Anambra, Monday Okpebholo of Edo, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Hope Uzodimma of Imo and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi.

InterSociety accused the affected state governments of what it described as “reckless abuse of office power, political rascality and intolerance to dissent voices and muzzling of Civic Space,” alleging that opposition members and leaders, particularly those of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had faced direct or indirect attacks.

The organisation said reports from the affected states had raised particular concern over alleged restrictions on political campaigns, threats against community leaders and alleged violence involving opposition supporters.

“InterSociety is strongly calling on those State authorities and others planning similar dastardly acts to stop and desist from overheating the polity, stifling the Civic Space and resorting to crude political exclusion,” the statement said.

It argued that political parties and their presidential candidates should be allowed to campaign freely in every part of the country, regardless of political differences.

“All political parties and their presidential candidates must be allowed unrestricted access to political campaign arenas in any part of Nigeria including Anambra, Benue, Edo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, among others,” the organisation stated.

But InterSociety escalated its warning, saying continued alleged political intolerance could trigger an international campaign against the governors.

“If these Governors continued to portray themselves and their States as ‘enemies of ballot democracy and axis of electoral militancy and election rigging’, we will be forced to invoke our worldwide contacts, networks and partnerships to block them from making foreign trips to Europe and Americas,” it warned.

The group said it had already begun compiling the names of the governors and intended to submit them to European diplomatic missions, American and Canadian authorities and other international bodies.

“We have started compiling their names, with intent and readiness to submit them in all the 27 European Embassies and High Commissions and those of the Americas including the United States and Canada and other strategic quarters in their Home Governments,” InterSociety claimed.

The organisation further said the governors would be portrayed internationally as “enemies of democracy and electoral process” if the alleged conduct continued, adding that it considered such persons morally and diplomatically unfit to access established democracies.

InterSociety ended the warning with an unusually blunt threat, saying it could seek to have the governors restricted from travelling to Europe and the Americas and instead “forced” towards Somalia and Afghanistan.

“As a matter of fact, we will be compelled to force them into traveling to battered Countries of Somalia and Afghanistan—the world hellfire countries and home to enemies of democracy, democratic free speeches, civic spaces, human rights and fundamental freedoms,” the statement said.

The organisation also alleged that some state authorities had used or tolerated threats against local government, community and traditional leaders over their political choices, urging the affected governors to stop what it called the stifling of civic space ahead of the 2027 elections.