The Labour Party’s governorship candidate for Borno State, Captain Ibrahim Mshelia, accused the incumbent governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, of inciting violence against anyone who votes for opposition candidates. Mshelia made the allegation at a press conference held at the Labour Party Secretariat in Abuja on Monday evening, urging the ruling All Progressives Congress and President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to caution the APC governor.
During his remarks to journalists, Mshelia said Zulum’s campaign rhetoric in Biu, Southern Borno—his own zone—had “fanned the embers of violence.” He quoted the governor’s Hausa‑language speech: “During the forthcoming elections, we are voting for governorship. Stand up and make sure our votes are high. Let’s also have all the nine seats in the state House of Assembly in Southern Borno. I don’t want any of them to lose. I am the governor; I have apologized to everyone in this zone. But I would like to tell you something. Only God gives power. I don’t have the capability to give power. Yet I swear, in my capacity, I won’t let anyone insult the traditional leaders to get into the House of Assembly. God gives power, but if God gives them power, ‘Biri Mini, Kare Jini…’”
Mshelia condemned these statements, saying he expected a more civil approach from the governor in the spirit of sportsmanship. He explained that his candidacy is driven by a desire to improve the lives of Borno’s citizens and develop the state’s human resources. “I strongly condemn this statement, as electoral violence can breed unimaginable consequences, and a governor should not be seen to promote election violence,” he said. “I am peace‑loving and have run my campaign on real issues, not threats to opposition parties as the governor has done. Some agents of political instability are planning to turn the forthcoming elections into a battlefield, thinking violence is the only way to secure victory. They must be stopped.”
Mshelia called on President Buhari and relevant security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and property during the elections, urging a credible, violence‑free process. He added that law‑abiding citizens would choose peace over confrontation to achieve assured victory.
Attempts to reach Governor Zulum’s media aide, Malam Isa Gusau, were unsuccessful; his line remained switched off. Meanwhile, the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, appealed for restraint, describing the issue as a local matter. He noted the irony of the Labour Party’s accusations, saying, “What else will the Labour Party say about incitement—whether civil disobedience or violence? That’s what they keep doing and are known for. They need to be calm. The election is almost over.”
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